


RWBY: The Hands of Fate

by inferno167



Category: Persona Series, RWBY
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-03
Updated: 2018-05-22
Packaged: 2018-12-23 10:19:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 23
Words: 227,399
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11987793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inferno167/pseuds/inferno167
Summary: One of FF.net's fastest growing fics, now on AO3!A young man wakes up in a hospital bed, after apparently attempting suicide. After the Headmaster of Beacon Academy welcomes him to the school for his own sake, he starts having odd dreams of a blue room, and a man with a long nose, telling him of a unique power. Will he and his new team be able to rewrite the future? Or will the hands of Fate prove too strong?





	1. Chapter 1

Prologue: Silver Linings  
“…I'm sorry pal. This is just how it has to be…”

A young man found himself laying in a rather uncomfortable bed, his consciousness slowly returning to him. His bleary eyes slid open, unable to process more than a messy swirl of white. He blinked a few times, clarity returning to him, to find he was in a sterile white room. He could see his arms and legs, covered in a patchwork of gauze taped all over, his left knee wrapped in a bulky cast. A spider web of IV drips ran from his right arm up to a line of bags suspended above him, below which was a heart monitor, beeping softly away while displaying his vitals.

  
“A… hospital?” His voice was hoarse, and he found it painful to speak, “What… happened?”

  
As if on cue, a door to his right swung open, and in walked a grey haired man, sharply dressed in a black suit, wielding a cane and coffee mug. The strange man pulled up a chair next him, and sat down, placing his mug on the bedside table.  
“Ah, good. You’re finally awake.” He smiled warmly, “My name is Professor Ozpin, Headmaster of Beacon Academy. How do you do?”

  
“Oz..pin? Beacon? I don’t… What happened… to me?”

  
“You, my fine young man, are in Vale Emergency Medical Center, ICU wing to be exact. You were found yesterday morning, March 19th, unconscious in an alleyway on Park Street. There was evidence that you had suffered injuries from a severe fall. The doctors suspect you attempted suicide. Do you remember anything?” Ozpin leaned forward, hands resting on his cane.

  
“Sui…cide? Me..? I don’t… Guh!” He tried answering, but was stopped as his head started to throb.

  
He closed his eyes, hand rushing to his forehead. A scene began playing in his mind. He was somewhere high up. He felt a heavy force hit him, and then he was falling. His head stopped hurting and everything went black. He opened his eyes to see Ozpin still sitting there, mild concern on his face.

  
“I… fell? Something heavy… Then I fell… How?”

  
“How indeed? How could a teenage boy get to the top of one of two rather secure, upscale apartment buildings, completely unseen by residents and security cameras alike, in order to commit suicide in that particular alleyway. Very interesting indeed.” Ozpin reached over for his mug, a hint of smugness in his voice, “In any case, you must have a particularly strong aura for you to not only survive that fall, and yet have no injuries that will affect you once you leave. Your knee notwithstanding, I'm afraid. You'll certainly need to take care with it.”

  
“Easy… for you… to say. Hurts… like hell.”

  
Ozpin chuckled at the retort, “I'd believe it. I can hardly imagine a situation where one could fall from such a height and be left feeling pleasant. Now, I did come here for a reason. I believe I may be able to help you, you see. However, I need some information from you first. When you were found, no-one could find any identification or documents on you. In fact, upon further searching, the police were unable to find anything about you. No home, no birth-certificate, nothing to prove you even exist. So I ask you, what can you tell me about yourself? Even so much as a name would do.”

  
“Of course… My… my name is…” A blank. No matter how hard he tried to think, he couldn’t remember anything. Not even a name. “I… I don’t know… my name?”

  
“Retrograde amnesiac, then? How cliché, though I suppose that isn’t exactly your fault. However, for me to help you, you need a name. An identity of your own. Now, what I would suggest is-”

  
“OZPIN!” A woman’s voice called out as the door was thrown open, cutting Ozpin off. In stormed a blonde, well dressed woman with a scowl on her face. She skulked up to Ozpin and tapped her foot impatiently.

  
“And here we go with this now.” Ozpin sighed, “Yes Glynda? Do you need me for something?”

  
She glared down at him, her voice incredulous, “Through all your schemes, I have sat back and trusted your judgment, but this is where I absolutely draw the line! The poor boy hasn’t been awake for more than five minutes, yet you stroll right on in here trying to recruit him. It’s completely unacceptable.”

  
“Ah yes, I should probably introduce you. Young man, this is Glynda Goodwitch, a professor at Beacon and my second-in-command.” Ozpin turned to Goodwitch, patiently smiling, “I understand your concerns, Glynda. But time is of the essence for us, and for this young man especially. We must act before-“

  
“No, we mustn’t! We know nothing about him, Ozpin. Nothing! No name, no history, we don’t even know if he has a semblance. This entire situation is highly suspicious at best. If we were to allow him into Beacon, what then? We've already selected the teams for this freshman class, so there’s nowhere to put him. And that’s even in he proves to be competent in combat. Accepting him into Beacon at this point is an enormous risk that we can’t very well afford to-“

  
“Enough Glynda.” For the first time, Ozpin actually sounded forceful, “As I said, I understand your concerns. I have thought it over many times myself, trying to figure out what to do about this. I'm no more enthused about this decision than you are, but there are no other options. Not for him. When he gets released from the hospital, he’ll have nowhere to go. He'll be taken to an orphanage or be forced to live on the streets, at best! Without a birth certificate or any documentation, he may very well be deported elsewhere.”

  
Goodwitch's gaze softened slightly, “That may be. But what good will bringing him to Beacon do?”

  
“We can give him a name and documents for starters. That would be enough to keep him from being banished from the country. He would have a job, housing, even a purpose in life. I'd say that’s much better than living on the streets. And, Gods willing, should he prove to be a capable Huntsman, perhaps some day he can find whatever it was that happened to him. Rediscover his old life.”

  
“I knew it. You’re up to something, aren’t you?” Goodwitch sighed, “Even so, something of this magnitude… It isn’t a decision we should force on him. Especially when he just woke up. He should make it with a clear mind.”

  
“No… I'll do it.” The young man spoke up at last, “What difference… will waiting do? Nowhere… to go. No other option… If you want… a Huntsman… just train me… to fight.”

  
Goodwitch covered her face with her hand while Ozpin grinned, “Excellent. Now if my hunch is correct, and they usually are, combat should come to you rather easily. Glynda, do me a favor, if you would? I left my bag with all the necessary paperwork in the waiting room. Can you go fetch it for me, please?”

  
She shook her head dubiously, but silently left all the same. The young man did his best to prop himself up to a sitting position, finding his muscles a bit week. He lowered his voice, “Ozpin… She said you… were up to something. I have… to agree… What exactly… do you know… about me?”

  
“Well, aren’t you the sharp one, even in your state?” Ozpin chuckled, “Now, I don’t want you thinking I'm trying to deceive you. I have only good intentions in mind. As for what I know, only three things really. First, you seem to me to have prior combat experience. Despite your age, you have multiple scars on your torso that had to have come prior to your fall. Scars that can only come from combat. As to what you used to do beforehand, I have no idea I'm afraid. Second, I know for a fact that you do have a semblance. You activated it unconsciously when I came to see you previously. What it is, well, I'll wait to tell you until you’re on your feet again. Don’t want you trying it out here and hurting yourself. Ah, and here is the paperwork for you.”

  
Just as Ozpin had said, Goodwitch had returned, bag in hand, a skeptical look still plastered on her face. She unceremoniously dumped the bag on Ozpin's lap, then went to pull up a chair in the corner, sitting with her arms crossed. Ozpin began digging through the bag, pulling out a few papers and a fountain pen. He turned the bedside table so that it hung over the young man’s lap, placing paper and pen on top of it.

  
“Fantastic. Now then, this paperwork will serve two purposes. It will enroll you as a student of Beacon, and we will use it to get documentation for you. I'll help you fill it out, should you need assistance. Just ask when you need me.”

  
The young man looked the papers over, a glaring problem coming to mind immediately, “I still… need a name.”

  
“AH! Yes, of course. My apologies. Let’s see now… A name… Any suggestions, Glynda?”

  
“Why are you asking me?” She shook her head, “I don’t know, John Doe maybe?”

  
“No, no. A name needs some originality otherwise it’s suspicious. A name like ‘John Doe' is obviously fake. But still… Ah!” Ozpin snapped his fingers, “ How about ‘Farran Park'? Does that sound good to you?"

  
“Farran… Park? Huh…” He thought about it for a moment, then nodded, “I like it… but why?”

  
“Well let’s see, Park because you were found on Park Street. I think that would be easy to remember. As for Farran, it comes from an old word meaning ‘iron grey'. I'd say it's pretty fitting.”

  
“Grey?” He reached behind his head, pulling some of his long hair forward, realizing now that it was black, “But… what about me… is grey?”

  
“Well, silver may be more appropriate, but I think it works. You’ll find out what I mean soon enough. When you activate your semblance, that is.”

  
He nodded. Farran Park, huh? That’s my name now. Farran began pouring over the paperwork, filling in the boxes with bits of information Ozpin gave him, some made up since no-one knew, others, like his physical traits, came from his chart. Hair: Black, Eyes: Blue, Height: Six feet Two inches, Weight: 185 pounds, etc. For a home address, Ozpin gave him the address of an apartment complex apparently close to Beacon's campus, knowing that any mail he may receive would be redirected to the school itself, and that nobody would bother checking its legitimacy. As for a birthdate, they decided that it should be eighteen years ago on this day, since it was the first day of his new life. _Happy Birthday to me, I guess. Wake up in a hospital on pain killers and get told you tried to off yourself. Fun, fun…_ After about thirty minutes of scribbling away, the paperwork was complete, and Ozpin sat back in his chair, smiling as he filed it away.

  
“Excellent, truly excellent. Now Farran, from what I've heard from your doctor, your aura is healing your injuries at a satisfactory rate. You should be able to walk on your own within a week, and, should everything progress as planned, you will be released in ten days, a week from Sunday. On that day, you will be meeting your team and begin your combat training with them. I have a team in mind that will most likely allow you to join them, even though it is rather unconventional to have anyone join a full team of four. Unfortunately, your new name will throw off the naming conventions we usually have for teams, so…”

  
“Don't worry… I don’t… need billing. Just a place… to call my own. Then I'll… be happy. I'd actually… prefer not… to stand out.”

  
“I appreciate your humility, Farran. I'll make sure that everything works out just fine. Now, you’ll have to fill your team in on your situation, since they’re the ones you will be training and living with. Unfailing trust is needed for our teams after all, so it wouldn’t do to force you to lie to them. If anyone else asks, you are a transfer student from Atlas Academy. Transferring between the academies is quite rare, but it should be enough for most people. We will make sure all your school supplies and uniforms are delivered to your team’s room before your arrival. That all being said, I must bid you farewell for the time being. We need to get your information into the system after all. I will be back in ten days to escort you to the Academy. So, for the time being, until we meet again, and get well soon, Mister Park.” Ozpin slung the bag over his shoulder, grabbing his cane and mug, and gave Farran a bow farewell before walking towards the door.

  
Goodwitch took his place, setting a stack of books on his table with a kind smile, “Mister Park, I hope my earlier reluctance and… exasperation do not give you the idea that I'm against you. I honestly look forward to teaching you. I don't know the full extent of your memory loss, but once you feel up to it, these books should get you caught up on most of what you need to know. Now then, I'll see you in class the Monday after you arrive. Until then.”

  
As she walked away, Farran called out, “Hey Ozpin… Earlier, you said… you knew three things… about me. You only said two… What was… the third?”

  
“Mister Park…” He started, frowning, “It’s not so much something I know, so much as it’s another of my hunches. I can tell you, but I don’t want to scare you so soon after waking up.”

  
“I'm fine… Just tell me… what you know… please.”

  
“In that case,” Ozpin peeked out the door, looking both ways before closing and locking it, “Mister Park, the official report states you tried to commit suicide. I, however, see it differently. I am of the belief that someone forced you off of the top of one of those buildings, intending to kill you. I have no idea who, just that they were able to manipulate things that there was no evidence of you ever being there. I also believe they are the ones responsible for erasing any proof of your existence. That is why I was so desperate to get you to come to Beacon. If the person responsible finds out you still live, they may come to finish the job. Under my watch at Beacon, as well as at this hospital, you will be safe. Now, are there any other questions I may answer for you?”

  
“Just one… do you know… who found me? I need… to thank them… for saving me.”  
“I do. In fact, the one who found you is a student at Beacon. If at all possible, it will be their team that I get you assigned to.”

  
“A name… I need their name… please."

  
Ozpin smiled, “Mister Park, the one who found you is a girl named Ruby Rose. It is my hope you will meet her when you arrive at Beacon. Now, is there anything else I can help you with?” Farran shook his head, “Then I really must bid you farewell. I will see you in ten days, Mister Park. Let us be off, Glynda.”

  
Ozpin unlocked the door and the pair left, after exchanging one last round of goodbyes. As he watched the door close behind them, Farran slid back down, laying his head against his pillows. He looked about the room once more, eyes lingering on the textbooks Goodwitch had left him. He brought a shaky hand to his forehead. _Going to Beacon. Becoming a Huntsman. Committing suicide… or was it attempted murder? Just who the hell was I? And what did I do to get myself into this mess?_ As he thought, Farran felt his eyelids growing heavier by the second. Finally unable to keep them open, he relented and let sleep swallow him once more.

* * *

  
In the dark midst of sleep, Farran felt himself falling once more. However, unlike before, it felt more like he was floating, slowly sinking down the empty expanse. As he fell, the darkness before him steadily turned from black to a soft blue. Through the haze of blue, he could see what looked like the outline of a butterfly gliding toward him, until it finally entered his chest.

  
The next thing he knew, Farran had regained a bit of lucidity. He looked around, trying to get a bearing of his surroundings. Gone was the void of blue he had felt himself falling through, replaced with what he recognized as a courtroom. Around him, the walls and stands were covered in tapestries, colored the same blue that had once consumed him. He found himself sitting on an wrought iron chair in the middle of the courtroom, the seat itself covered in a soft velvet. He slowly turned to look in front of him, to judge's podium. Behind it sat a rather gangly, eerie old man dressed in a black suit, his gnarled, gloved hands curled together under a rather ridiculously long nose. To his left, in the box usually occupied by witnesses was a girl who looked about Farran's age, with shoulder length blonde hair, dressed in a gown that matched the rest of this room. She calmly peered at him from above with her golden eyes. Behind this odd pair, a sapphire statue of Lady Justice towered over the room, her golden scales hanging over Farran. One, reading innocent, was being held much higher than the other, reading guilty, which contained a roaring fire that illuminated the courtroom. Farran heard someone clear their throat, and turned back to the old man at the judge's podium, just as he began to speak in a light, welcoming voice.

  
“Welcome to the Velvet Room, my dear young man. Ah… It seems we once again have a guest with a rather intriguing destiny. Hmhmhm. My name is Igor, I am delighted to make your acquaintance. This place exists between dream and reality, mind and matter. It is a room only those bound by a “contract” may enter. Now then… why don't you introduce yourself?”

  
Farran blinked at him, confused, his jaw slack, “My name is… Farran Park. Igor, what is this place? How did I get here? I was in a hospital bed, and then…”

  
“Ah, do not be alarmed, my dear guest. You are still fast asleep in the ‘real' world. As I said before, this room exists between dream and reality. You were brought here so that I may assist you, while your body remains safe and sound in the real world, recovering from those nasty injuries you suffered.”

  
“I'm afraid I don’t understand. How can you assist me? Do you know who I really am?”

  
“All in due time, my dear guest. As for who you really are, I cannot say. We only just met, have we not? Hmhmhm. Now then, we do have much to discuss. But perhaps, I shall introduce you to my assistant first.” Igor motioned to the girl sitting next to him.

  
“My name is Viola. I am a resident of this room, here to assist my Master in guiding you towards your goal.” Her melodious voice made Farran feel oddly calm.

  
“My goal? What exactly is my goal? I really don’t know what I'm supposed to do, I don’t even know who I am…”

  
“We will have to cover that at another time, I'm afraid. However, I can at least tell you this. The Velvet Room has always shaped itself after our guests' own hearts.” Igor gestured to the room at large with a flourish, “In the past, it has taken the shape of an elevator, guiding our guest to a higher purpose. Or a limousine, ensuring our guest reached his destination at the end of an unclear road, the truth they sought shrouded in fog. Finally, a prison cell, helping to shape our guest for the rehabilitation he needed to gain his freedom. As for you, my dear guest, your goal is beyond my current knowledge. However, if I had to hazard a guess, it is here in this Velvet Room that your own justice will take shape. You can be sure to count on myself, as well as Viola here, to assist you in any way we can.”

  
“My own justice… Huh. So, why exactly am I the one who can come here? That contract you talked about earlier, I think I know what you mean. But I highly doubt all Beacon students come to this room, correct?”

  
“Indeed, a fair assessment. You, my dear guest, possess a very special gift, one that our previous guests also had. That gift, is a very unique power known as the Wild Card. I imagine you are tired of my vagueness by now, however it would be very difficult to explain this gift to you in full at this point. I can say this, your power is represented by the number zero. Empty, and yet filled with infinite potential. Our past guests have taken chagrin with being called empty, but perhaps a much more palatable term would be a ‘blank slate'. I'm sure you know what I mean by that in your case.”

  
“Let’s see, waking up with amnesia, told nobody knows anything about me, being given a new name and life… Nope, haven’t the foggiest.”

  
Viola shook her head, “Please do not make such trivial jests. My Master simply wishes for you to understand this new life of yours, your ability to begin again, is what will allow you to pursue your goal in the first place.”

  
“Now, now Viola. Our guest has found himself in circumstances that are completely foreign to him. In these situations, humans sometimes rely on wit to prevent them from devolving into panic. Something you might want to remember. Now, it is nearly morning and our time here grows short. When next we meet, you will have already taken your first steps toward your own justice. It is my hope that you enjoy the start of this new life or yours. Until we meet again, my dear guest.”

  
As Igor finished speaking, Farran found his vision blurring once again. Within seconds, the Velvet Room, with Igor and Viola along with it, had completely disappeared, Farran being cast out into the blue abyss once more.

* * *

  
When consciousness returned to him, Farran found himself once again in his hospital bed, heart monitor still beeping softly away next to him, although he noticed the IV's and a few of the gauze patches had been removed in his sleep. He stared at the ceiling, trying to piece together the foggy memories of his dream. It proved to be a mostly fruitless effort, as all but a few phrases vanished from his mind before he could even contemplate their meaning.

  
“Velvet Room. Igor. Wild Card. My own justice… What the hell does all of that mean?” Farran realized he could talk and breath almost normally now, the searing pain from the last night all but gone, “As if this whole situation wasn’t messed up enough, now I'm having weird dreams I can’t understand. Great… Well, at least I can’t say it’s boring.”

  
He turned and eyed the stack of books that were left on his bedside table, picking up the one on top and giving it a once over. Goodwitch had told him to study them whenever he was feeling up to it, and he really didn’t want to start off on a bad foot because he refused to do a bit of reading. _No time like the present, I guess…_ Flipping to the first page, Farran began to read.

 

 


	2. Team RWBY

Just as Ozpin had told him, ten days after his new awakening, Farran Park was cleared by his doctors and released from the hospital. The only caveat being he was warned not to take part in any strenuous activities for at least another week, his lungs and ribcage not quite completely healed. As he was preparing to leave, one of the nurses handed him a duffel bag containing a few changes worth of clothes, apparently having been delivered by Ozpin earlier in the day. He picked out a leather jacket with a grey shirt, a pair of jeans, and a pair of black boots, happy to at least be finally rid of the hospital gowns he had been forced to wear while he was healing. Fully clothed, he slung the bag over his shoulder, gave the room a once over to make sure he had everything, then walked out the door towards his new life

Farran met Ozpin outside the hospital's main entrance, the headmaster sitting patiently with his cane in his lap, taking sips from his ever present coffee mug. As he exited the building, Ozpin got up and clapped him on the shoulder, motioning for Farran to follow him down the sidewalk.

"Just a few blocks down from here is the airfield. We will board an airship that is currently awaiting our arrival, and it will take us up to Beacon." Farran was surprised to find Ozpin was able to walk so briskly, and had to try his best to keep up, "From there, I will escort you to the dormitory where you will be staying, and you will be introduced to your new room and your new team. They will take over the rest, and this afternoon you will begin training with them."

"So, you were able to find a team willing to take me, Professor? Was it the one you had been planning on?"

"Oh, yes. The very same. As of today, you will be joining Team RWBY, led by one Miss Ruby Rose. I believe I mentioned her in our last conversation." Ozpin shot him a knowing grin, "Now, there was some… disagreements with these arrangements, as I figured there would be. However, nothing all too serious. I believe in the end, you all will find this partnership to be agreeable. In fact, I think this may be one of the best possible teams to get you back into combat shape."

"Speaking of, Professor. My doctor mandated that I not do anything too strenuous for a week." Farran started panting, "Is all this going to be alright? With my training and classes and everything I mean."

"Ah, yes. I believe I received a memo about something of that sort. Not to worry, you've already been granted permission to sit out on any combat classes, and your team has been notified to take it easy for the time being." He chuckled, "Unless of course, you're talking about our trek to the airfield? You're young, and you've been cooped up in a hospital bed. A little cardio will do you a world of good."

 _Easy for you to say. You're not the one whose chest makes him look like he just up and walked out of the morgue._  Farran felt his lungs burning for nearly the entire trip, although he found himself thankful that it was more from being out of shape after his hospital stay, rather than from his injuries. Upon their arrival to the airfield, a private airship was sitting, ready for takeoff, waiting for them. The pilot escorted them on board, and as both took their seats, the pilot closed the door behind them and the ship took off.

From the moment he felt the ship start to move, Farran found himself staring out the window beside him, watching the city of Vale slowly shrink. He couldn't quite explain it, but looking out the window brought a fascination with the concept of flying to the forefront of his mind. The idea of flying through the air felt very calming to him. He started to wonder what the old version of him had been like, whether he had been on, or possibly even flown an airship.

Soon, he saw what he assumed was their destination: what looked to be an ornate castle sitting on top of a mountain, its main tower soaring above the campus. Small specks that he believed to be students were milling about the green fields that made up the castle grounds. A landing strip jutted off the edge of the mountain's cliff side, inching closer as they flew along. It wasn't long before they had arrived at their designated landing pad, and the door to the airship once again opening to allow their exit.

Ozpin took the lead once again, gesturing to the campus at large as they walked, "Mister Park, welcome to Beacon Academy, your new home."

The other students they passed stared at them as they walked by, evidently a new face showing up this late being a rather rare phenomenon, doubly so when said new face was walking with Ozpin. The building's entrances soon rose to greet them, looming over the pair. Ozpin pulled one open, leading them into the castle's main foyer. The two hung a left, walking through two double doors into what looked to be a lounge for the school's dormitory. Farran was thankful to find there was hardly any students here, Ozpin stopped him, digging through his pocket for a second, before pulling out what looked to be a small piece of metal with a gold diamond in the center.

"This nifty little device is called a scroll. I'm not sure if you remember them, but I'm positive they were covered in the books Glenda gave you. Simply press this button in the middle, and pull the sides apart to access it." He demonstrated, a small holo-screen appearing in the middle as he did so, "This will act as your room and locker key, you can use it as a phone, and you can even check on your teammate's status if you ever get separated during a mission. This one is yours now." He folded it up, handing it to Farran, "Now unfortunately, I must be going. Urgent business to attend to, I'm afraid. Your room is number 316, and your team should already be waiting there for you. Take those stairs, you'll want to go to the third floor, and your room will be the sixth door on the right."

"Hold on." Farran held up a hand, stopping him, "Do you mean to tell me, you're abandoning me to the wolves?"

Ozpin chuckled, "Mister Park, they're hardly wolves, you know. They're your teammates. And as I've said before, unfailing trust in your teammates is of the utmost importance. Besides, there's very little I can do to alleviate the awkwardness of a first meeting. Just stay calm, I'm sure you'll find them quite charming. That being said, I really must be going now. Have a good day, Mister Park."

With that, Ozpin departed, exiting the same way they came in, and leaving Farran alone. _Yea, great. Thanks Ozpin... Aren't you the one who said they disagreed with me joining them?_  Farran stood still in the lobby, hesitant to go meet the team, but in the end decided he might as well follow his instructions, if only because he knew they would be waiting for him. On his way up to the third floor, he passed another group of students, thankful that they seemed to be too absorbed in their own conversation to notice him. The two in front, an orange-haired girl in a white shirt and pink skirt and a blonde boy in jeans, a black hoodie, and a white breastplate, were animatedly talking about some apparent rumor of a fabled teenage detective. Behind them, a girl with long red hair wearing rather revealing armor, and a boy wearing a green tailcoat and white pants, his long black hair dyed with a single pink streak, were amusedly watching the two in front of them chatting away.

Having made it to the third floor, Farran turned right into an empty hallway, doors lining the walls on either side of him. He made his way down, shortly after finding his destination and, presumably, his new home: a door with a plate reading 316. He pulled out his scroll, about to scan it on the black box outside the door, but froze. He wasn't sure if his new team would be ok with him just entering, unannounced. Deciding it was better to have them let him in, rather than surprise them by walking in, Farran raised his hand and knocked twice. Almost as soon as he pulled his hand back, the door in front of him was ripped open.

"Hey! Are you our new roomie?" A short girl, her hair black with red tips, stood in front of him, holding the door open. She was wearing a black dress with red frills at the bottom and a matching corset, a red cape wrapped around her neck, and she was grinning widely up at him.

Farran blinked in confusion, "Uh… Yes? I'm Farran Park. Is this the room of Team RWBY?"

"Yes, it is! Welcome to the team, Farran! My name is Ruby Rose, the leader of Team RWBY." Ruby grabbed his hand and started pulling him into the room, "Come on in!"

With surprising force for such a small girl, Ruby practically dragged Farran into the room, closing the door behind them. The room he saw before him was one half your typical academy dorm, walls lined with closets and desks, and the other half a showcase of teenage engineering. Somehow, two bunk beds had been erected, one being two beds stacked on top of each other, their supports separated by books, the other was less a bunk bed and more so a bed being  _suspended from the ceiling_  above another.

Farran found that the excited mood Ruby had created when she first brought him in had been sucked right out by the room's other inhabitants. Directly in front of him, a blonde, rather well-endowed girl, wearing a brown jacket, gold crop top, orange scarf, and black shorts sat in a backwards desk chair, directing an annoyed glare at him. To her right, a silver haired girl, her dress and jacket matching both a matching white, sat on the edge of her bed, giving him a look of reluctance. Finally, opposite of her, a black haired girl, head topped with a black bow, her black vest and stockings over top her white shorts and undershirt, lay back on her bed reading a book. Farran was certain she hadn't even bothered to look up from it since he entered the room.

Either ignoring or ignorant of her teammates' reactions, Ruby pressed forward excitedly all the same, "So, this is our room. Pretty cool, right? We made the bunk beds ourselves! It gives us so much more room. Sorry, but Professor Ozpin said they couldn't get a spare bed, but they had someone bring up a futon for you. It's over in that corner. I know it's not much, but I hope it's ok for you."

"Futon's fine. Would've slept on the floor if I had to. Better than sleeping out on the streets. Hell, it'll probably feel like heaven compared to my hospital bed." Farran said half-jokingly.

"Great! Oh, I should probably introduce you to the team! This here is my favorite sister, Yang Xiao-Long." She clapped the blonde on the shoulder, who gave Farran a curt nod, her glare not wavering, "The prim and proper one over there is my partner and bestie, Weiss Schnee." She motioned to the silver haired girl, prompting her to give him a small wave, "And the one behind me with her nose in her book is Blake Belladonna." The black haired girl half-heartedly raised her hand.

"I take it the dorm is Co-ed then?"

"Yup! Team JNPR, they're the ones across the hall from us, are split half and half. It's actually not as uncommon here as you might think. So… what are your thoughts?" She gestured around her, smiling expectantly.

Farran crossed his arms, giving the room another look, "I think I'll like it here. I also think your teammates aren't very happy about me staying here."

"Gee, what gave that away genius?" Yang grumbled.

"Yang!" Ruby snapped at her, "Be nice, he's our new teammate."

"Pardon me… Farran, was it?" Weiss spoke up, "We don't mean to be so hostile to you, but you have to look at things from our point of view. Not only is it exceedingly rare for a team to have more than four members, we've spent the past few weeks working together, and building chemistry. Then, all of a sudden, the Academy's headmaster approaches us, asking if we'd take in someone else, needing to teach him the ropes. I'd think it's fair that anyone would be skeptical about this whole situation, wouldn't you?"

Farran nodded, pulling up a chair from a nearby desk, plopping down in it, "Ok. Just so we're all on the same page, I need to know where I stand with you guys. What exactly did Ozpin tell you all about me?"

"Only that you tried to commit suicide, and that Ruby was the one who found you. He said it would be better if you explained everything yourself."

"Right…" Farran sighed, "I… My first memory, the absolute earliest thing I can remember, is waking up in a hospital bed ten days ago. Other than that, I have absolutely no memory of who I was before. Not only that, but according to Ozpin, the police couldn't find anything about me. No records, no documents, no ID, nothing. Like I didn't even exist until then. Even my name, Farran Park, Ozpin made it up for me at the hospital. He told me, if I didn't come to Beacon, I'd end up living on the streets. Or worse, since there's no proof of who I am. So I took him up on it.

He… Ozpin had a lot of guesses about me. He said he believes I had previous experience fighting, so hopefully you guys won't have to worry about teaching me too much. Plus, Goodwitch gave me a bunch of books to get caught up on everything. It surprised me, but I pretty much breezed through them, like I knew all of it before. So, maybe I did go to an academy before all of this, or something, I don't know. And… Ozpin told me that he didn't think I jumped off that building on my own. He said, because there wasn't any evidence of me ever being there, he thinks someone took me up there, trying to kill me. Probably would have if it wasn't for Ruby saving my ass. So, basically, that's it. That is absolutely everything I know about myself. Pretty much nothing."

As he finished, he looked up, surprised to find that the looks of resentment he had been getting were replaced with those of worry, with Ruby's wide smile having turned into a small frown. Even Blake, who had evidently put her book down some point, was looking at him with concern. The five of them sat in silence for a moment, each unsure of what to say.

"I'm sorry to hear that, Farran." Yang broke the silence, "I- We had no idea. If we had, we wouldn't have…"

"Hey, it's alright. Don't worry about it." Farran cut her off, "I appreciate it, but I'm not going to angst over it. What matters now is I have a roof over my head, hopefully some better food than the slop from the hospital, and something to do with my life. I just thought it was fair for you all to know, since you guys agreed to let me join you, even though you really didn't have to. I just… I hope it helps get rid of your concerns about me being a part of the team."

"It does. Somewhat, at least." Weiss sounded relieved, "It was quite worrying when you first came in, looking like a vagabond just waltzed into our room off the street."

"I dunno. Ozpin gave me these clothes after all. I know they're nothing fancy, but I think they look alright."

"That isn't what she meant and you know it." Blake deadpanned, "I don't think I've ever seen a boy with hair as long as mine or as thick as Yang's."

"That… was my next question, actually." Farran rubbed the back of his neck, bashfully, "I'm looking at all this as a chance to start my new life off fresh. This long hair, it's part of the old me, the one I don't remember. It wouldn't really be the best if I started my new life walking around looking like he did. Not to mention… I really hate my hair being this long. So, I was just wondering if you guys knew anyone on campus that could give me a haircut."

Three of his teammates turned to look at Yang, startling the blonde, "What? Why do you guys keep sending people to me for free cuts? Do I look like a charity service? Ugh. Fine." She pointed at Farran, "You. Bathroom. Bring your chair, and sit in front of the mirror. We're doing this my way, understood?"

She got up crossed in front of him, disappearing through a door to his left. Farran, not knowing where he was supposed to go, looked to the other girls for some sort of sign. They all pointed to the door opposite of the one Yang went through, on the right side of the room, to which he got up and went through. Farran found that their bathroom was pretty nice, a rather large shower lining the far right wall, two toilet stalls opposite of the door, and the far left wall occupied by a sink, above which hung a mirror which covered the whole length of the wall. Following his instructions, Farran positioned his chair in front of the mirror, and sat down to wait for Yang. She entered a few minutes later carrying a garbage bag and broom in one hand, and a metal case in the other. She plopped the case on the sink counter, leaning the broom and bag against the wall, and opened it. From what he could see, it seemed to contain a variety of tools for cutting and taking care of hair. She pulled out a black ribbon and walked behind Farran, moving his hair out of the way before using the ribbon to blindfold him.

"Seriously? Is the blindfold necessary? You better not plan on doing anything weird." Despite his warning, Farran was rather amused.

"Zip it. Like I said, we're doing this my way. I'm not doing this for fun, you know. I just don't want to have to listen to Ice Queen whine about this mess you call hair." He heard Yang moving around him, getting things ready, "Besides, I'm blindfolding you for two things. One, even if I hate them forcing people on me, I actually like cutting hair. Got used to it taking care of Ruby's and my own growing up. I want to surprise you with how good you look when I'm done. And second, you're a guy. I don't want you staring at my chest while I'm working."

"Come on, really?" He had to stop himself from laughing, "You really think I'd do that?"

"What? Are they not good enough to look at?" Faux-outrage filled Yang's voice.

"No, I didn't say that. They're actually pretty nice. I just wouldn't stare so obviously."

"So you don't deny you were checking them out when you came in?"

"No, what I don't deny is that I saw you resting them on top of the chair when I came in. If anything I'd say you were trying to get me to look." They both shared a laugh as Farran heard Yang dig through her case again, "Hey Yang. Are we cool?"

She move behind him and started up a trimmer, "Yea, we're cool. Sorry Farran. I shouldn't have acted like that, not knowing your whole situation and all."

Farran's head started feeling lighter as she worked, "Seriously, don't worry about it. I mean, I guess I'd like to know what I did to piss you off so bad before I even met you, just so I don't do it again."

"Farran… It's not really something you did, so much as me jumping the gun about something I don't know about. It's just, Ruby and I are sisters. Half-sisters if you want to get really pedantic about it, but we're family. Ruby hasn't been good with death and all that since her mom died when we both are little. When she found you the other day… she pretty much panicked. After she got back, she spent the rest of the night bawling into her pillow. I know it's really selfish of me but, being the big sister that I am, I blamed you for it. I hated you because you made a decision, and that decision ended up hurting my sis. I guess that's why I'm trying to be so chill now, cause you didn't even do all that on your own in the first place. And even if you did, I really don't have the right to hate on you for trying to... Well, you know."

"Thanks Yang. Sorry I scared Ruby so bad."

"Eh, not your fault. No matter what, you can't remember what happened there, so you aren't the one who did it." She moved to the front of him, working on his bangs, "Anyway, what kind of a name is Farran?"

He chuckled, "You're gonna have to ask Ozpin about that one. I got no idea where he pulled it from, other than he said it means 'grey'."

"Hmm… I dunno about you, but it sounds pretty  _Farran_  to me!" Even blindfolded, Farran could see her shit-eating grin.

He pinched the bridge of his nose, "Puns? You're really going to go there?"

"Hey, stop fussing with it, I'm not done yet." She slapped his hand away, then started running her hands through his hair, "You'll get used to the puns. Or not, but you're gonna hear a lot of 'em if you like them or not."

"Well then, I have to ask. _Xiao-Long_  were you waiting to make that pun?"

She gasped, "Well, you know, when I drop a pun, I want it to make a pretty big  _Yang_."

"That's cool, but are you sure that's very  _Weiss_?"

"I  _Schnee_  what you're trying to do here, but it's not gonna work. Nobody beats me in a pun battle."

"That may be, but I wonder how long it's gonna take you to  _Blake_."

"Yea, well I… shit, there's no good pun for Belladonna." When Yang noticed Farran's smug grin, she slugged him on the shoulder, "Shut up. This isn't over, you know. I'll come up with a good one, and steal my victory back. Anyway, you're all done. Go ahead and take the blindfold off."

Farran did as he was told, pulling the blindfold away from his eyes. If it weren't for the fact he knew he was looking in the mirror, he wouldn't possibly have believed the person he was looking at was him. Most of the long hair that had hung down to his lower back now surrounded him on the floor. Instead, his hair was now cut rather short, the back of his neck and forehead now exposed. Yang had also apparently applied some kind of hair gel, as his bangs were now pushed off to the side. Despite the vast difference, Farran found himself liking the new style quite a bit, letting out a low whistle in surprise.

"I know, I know. It's amazing the miracles I can work isn't it?" Yang walked over and grabbed the broom, pointing it to Farran "Now, it's your job to clean all this mess up. It's your fault for having so much hair, after all." Farran raised an eyebrow, receiving a bop on the head from the broom handle, "Don't give me sass. I told you I'm not a charity service. Not only did I have to cut that mane of yours, I even used some good hair gel on you, and that stuff isn't cheap. So get to it!"

"Fine, fine. I owe you one anyway." Farran took the broom and started sweeping up the pile of hair, getting it into the garbage bag.

* * *

 

Thirty minutes later, Farran emerged from the bathroom, floor clean and garbage bag full. Immediately, he heard shocked gasps coming from his new teammates. Weiss, Blake, and Ruby stared at him, stunned, as Yang took bows for the applause no doubt playing in her own mind. Ruby approached him, motioning for him to bend down, and started running her hands through his hair as he did so.

"It's so soft… You look really good, Farran." His blush went unnoticed by the girl as her attention turned to the garbage bag, "Oh! I'll run this down to the dumpster for you. It'd be a lot faster for me to do it, anyway."

Farran watched as she snatched the bag, and disappeared in a flash, leaving a trail of rose petals in her wake, "So… I take it that's her semblance then?"

"Yup! Rubes has always been able to move at super speed. Now that I think about it, I think it may have something to do with how hyper she can get. Plus…" Yang eyed the trail of petals, "Cleaning up after her gets old fast."

"I can imagine. So, what's the plan now? Ozpin said you guys were going to help start my training."

"Now that you no longer look like a degenerate," Weiss smirked, "We will be heading over to the training halls for some combat practice. Light combat practice, mind you. Don't think I missed that look in your eye, Farran. We did receive word that you need to take it easy."

"Don't remind me…" He absentmindedly ran a hand over his chest, "So, what am I supposed to do for a weapon, anyway? I gotta imagine I'm probably the only one on campus without one, right?"

"Oh yea, I almost forgot." Blake went over to the corner of the room, grabbing a sword Farran hadn't seen earlier, handing it to him "Ozpin sent it over yesterday, said it was for you. Don't know where he got it though.

Just then, Ruby burst back in the room, usual smile plastered on her face, "Everyone ready to go?"

"Hold on, Rubes." Yang stopped her, "You're the weapons expert here, why don't you tell Farran about this sword Ozpin got him. You were gushing about it yesterday."

"Oh, that's right! You're lucky, Farran, that thing's amazing." She zipped over to him, eying the blade, "So, the blade sticks out of this part, right? Well when you move the hilt down, the blade retracts, and those parts come out, making a crossbow! I saw someone use something like this in the last Vytal Tournament, but this one seems pretty heavily modified. See, instead of firing bolts, a dust chamber comes up here, kind of like a revolver, so I'd imagine it fires dust instead."

"Huh…" Farran was surprised how natural it felt in his hands, "I wonder where Ozpin found it… Maybe the police missed something in that alleyway?"

"Or Professor Peach could've made it! She runs a group that experiments with weapons here, so maybe they had a spare lying around. Anyway, let's get going before all the training halls are taken."

Everyone nodded, grabbing their weapons, and started to head out the door. Farran was happy to find that there were far less people staring at him on their walk to the training halls, thankful to be surrounded by his new teammates on the way there. Their destination was a tall, ornate metal building on the south-eastern edge of campus. From the grounds, there was a small flight of stairs, leading to an automatic sliding door, which moved to allow them passage as they reached the top step. Once inside, Farran saw a young, peach haired woman, wearing a white, buttoned up lab coat over a black pencil skirt, stockings, and latex boots, giving orders to a couple students.

Ruby approached her, giving her a friendly wave, "Hi Professor Peach!"

She turned to greet them, "Oh, Good afternoon Miss Rose. To you as well Miss Xiao-Long, Miss Belladonna, Miss Schnee, and… Oh dear." Surprise filled her goggle covered eyes, "Is that a new face I see? You must be the mysterious transfer student I heard talk of in the faculty office."

"I guess? I'm Farran Park if that's what you mean. Nothing mysterious about me though." He laughed nervously.

"Oh please. A transfer from Atlas Academy, brought here by Ozpin himself? There's something special about you. I have a sense for these things." Peach stepped up to him, her smiling face moving far too close to Farran's than he was comfortable with, as if she was studying him, before taking a step back and offering him her hand, "I'm Professor Peach, your Dust Studies teacher. I took the liberty of reserving one of the halls here for you guys, we were told you'd be stopping by. You'd be surprised how busy we get, even over the weekends, so I kinda had to. It'll be the last hall on the right, whenever you're ready."

"Great! We'll head over there now. Gotta break the new guy in." Yang punched her open palm, grinning at Farran.

"Alright. I've been instructed to come with you and observe your practice to ensure your breaking the new kid in doesn't actually break the new kid. So, shall we?" Peach started down the corridor, leading them to a door labeled "Reserved for Team RWBY".

The door led to a large concrete stadium, surrounded on three sides by empty bleachers, with a glass observation area high above where they walked in. They made their way to the center of the arena floor, where Weiss turned around to address the group.

"Ok, Farran. Since this is your first time sparring with us, I'll explain the rules for how our team does things. We start with two of us facing off, with the others splitting out wide to act as judges. The goal is to incapacitate your opponent, as determined by the judges. The loser will switch out with one of the judges, and then the process will repeat. Understood?" She waited for him to nod, "And, since this is to be a light practice, we won't be going full speed, and we'll try to avoid any direct hits to the body if possible. Now then, let's begin."

After discussing who would lead off, it was decided that Farran would go first against Yang. Farran's first run through of practice was rather short and pathetic, from his point of view. Not used to the blonde's speed, she was able to effortlessly get within striking distance multiple times, Farran using the blade's length to try to keep her back, but ultimately, Yang got what was ruled a fatal strike, a punch stopped just short of his face. Ruby subbed in for him, and since she was more accustomed to her strengths, after years of training with her, she was better able to use her scythe's length to keep Yang at bay, and picking up the win by knocking Yang's legs out from under her. Up next was Weiss who, after a five minute duel, was able to freeze Ruby's leg with an ice spell, and bringing her rapier to the other girl's heart. Blake elected to have Farran go back in instead, after how quick his first match ended. His fight with Weiss was a case of speed against power, but Farran felt better prepared after watching for a bit. After dodging an ice spell from Weiss, he was able to use his sword's length to block her follow up strike, swinging through it and knocking her rapier out of her hand. The group continued running through this drill for quite a while, Farran happy to pick up his fair share of wins. Eventually, Professor Peach called for them to break, Farran panting quite a bit after his last losing effort against Ruby.

"Gotta say, Farran." Yang clapped him on the back, "You're doing really well. Wasn't expecting you to get any wins just yet."

"Yeah… Same…" Farran's breathing was heavy, struggling to speak, "It's like… this is all coming back to me. Guess I really… was a fighter before… You guys are crazy though. I'm jealous of… your semblances. Especially yours Blake… Clones? That's awesome."

Blake was taken aback, "It's really not that impressive as far as semblances are concerned. I will admit it's useful though."

"Besides, I'm sure yours is just as cool as ours, Farran!" Ruby handed him a bottle of water she had received from Professor Peach, "Maybe you can turn invisible. Or walk on walls!"

"Somehow I doubt that." He took a swing of water, "Ozpin said it was related to my name, but I got no idea how something being iron grey qualifies as a semblance."

"In any case, good work Farran. Now, we're going to be doing some two-on-two, full speed practice for a bit." Weiss took a sip of her own water, "We might as well, so long as we're here. You should head up into the stands and take a break."

"Break? And let you guys have all the fun? Not happening." Farran grinned.

"Yes, it is happening kiddo." Professor Peach approached the group, her arms crossed, "In case you forgot, your chest is FUBAR at the moment. I am not gonna be the one who has to tell Ozpin that you got your chest caved in before your first day of class."

"Alright, how about this-"

"No! How about you listen to your teacher and go sit down?"

"Can I please finish my thought? How about, I just stay back and take pot shots. You guys have the benefit of a bit more difficulty, I get to not be bored, and I'm far away from combat, so my chest stays intact. That work?"

The team and professor looked amongst each other, before looking back to him and nodding. The teams were divided up as Weiss and Yang against Ruby and Blake, with Farran providing outside interference. Despite not actually taking part in the practice, Farran was having fun. That is, until about ten minutes in, he was running to his right to set up a shot on Ruby, when he felt a sharp pain in his bad knee. In trying to stop himself, he felt his knee buckle, the pain causing him to accidentally pull the trigger on his crossbow. Ice dust rocketed from his crossbow, landing right in front of a sprinting Weiss. Time slowed down as Farran saw Weiss step on the ice and lose her balance, in doing so her sword arm flinging in his direction, loosing lightning dust right at him. Unable to move, Farran braced himself for the worst. The last thing he remembered before losing consciousness was flying through the air.

* * *

 

The darkness of unconsciousness that Farran had become all too familiar with over the past week had consumed him once again. Empty, silent, and lonely, he felt as if he were floating in the depths of space. Suddenly, he began hearing something, voices he had never heard before, almost too faint to be able to hear.

"…You gave us…"

"…your choice…"

"…son…dead…"

"…I'm sorry pal. This is just how it has to be…"

After that, his mind slowly became more focused, consciousness and senses returning to him. Farran felt something hard on his back, as if he were laying on concrete, and he could smell the fading, acrid scent of ozone. He started feeling a dull, throbbing pain in the left of his chest, and he could hear more voices, louder, closer, and more familiar than before.

"Farran! Farran, can you hear me?" Ruby's voice called to him.

"Hey, get up man. This isn't funny!" Yang's followed.

Farran's eyes fluttered open to see his teammates standing over him, Professor Peach not far behind them muttering, "Please don't be dead! Please don't be dead! Please don't be dead!" Farran tried to speak, but only managed to let out a groan in pain. Relief flooded the faces of his team, seeing that he was mostly alright.

Professor Peach rushed over to him, first elated, then enraged, grabbing him by the shirt collar, "You Dust damned idiot! This is why when someone tells you you're not cleared to practice, you sit on the damned sidelines! Who's the one who would've had to tell Ozpin you died, huh? Hell, who's the one who would've had to tell Goodwitch that you died. Gods, Glynda would've had my ass for that and not in the fun way!"

"But didn't you give me permission to-" Farran wheezed.

"That's beside the point!" Professor Peach started storming off, "Practice is over today. I won't forget this, Park! Remember that next time you're in my class."

They watched her go, the door slamming as she left. Blake and Yang helped Farran to his feet, offering to support him, but he waved them off. With Peach gone, and one unfortunate accident already, Team RWBY decided it was best to call it a day and head back to the dorm. With Farran's knee and chest hurting, it took them significantly longer to get back. Eventually, after Farran had continually denied any offers of help, Yang forced herself under his shoulder, keeping him upright and moving. She stayed by his side until they all made it back to the dorm room, finally letting him go so they could change. As she left him, he started dug through his duffel bag, picking out another grey shirt and a pair of black basketball shorts.

"Sorry guys… That was really stupid of me, not listening to you." He turned to the team, the girls pulling their bed clothes from their dressers.

"Yes, it was." Weiss crossed her arms, "Both the injuries your dealing with are serious, and it was foolish to push yourself. Still, I can understand why you wouldn't want to just sit around. Though I'm surprised, you're admitting your mistake pretty easily."

"Hey, kinda hard to not think I messed up when both your knee and your lungs are on fire. Just annoys me that I caused problems for you guys on the first day."

"You worry too much. What happened to the guy who said he wasn't gonna be angsty, huh?" Yang chided him, "Seriously, we're a team. Yea, you're new. But it's not like we were all at each other's throats for every little thing on our first day. Just chill, we'll take care of you." There was a general noise of agreement at her sentiment.

"Thanks guys. I really appreciate it." He started to pull his shirt off.

"And Farran?"

"Yeah?" He turned and was immediately smashed in the face by Yang's jacket.

"We might be comfortable changing in front of each other, but that doesn't mean we want you ogling us. Go change in the bathroom, asshole."

Farran blushed, realizing they had been waiting on him to leave so they could change, "Right, sorry guys."

He limped his way to the bathroom, clothes in hand, leaving the girls to change while he did the same. He pulled his shirt off, trying to get a look at his chest to make sure today's practice hadn't busted open any of his stitches. From what he could see, they all remained in place, and there wasn't any bleeding, however the left half of his chest was now a deep shade of purple, bruised from the dust spell that knocked him out. Thanks to that bruise, changing proved to be more difficult than usual, each movement of his left arm caused shooting pain in his chest. Finally dressed, he made his way back over to his futon and collapsed. From where he was laying, he could tell the girls were all going about their usual routine, save for Yang who had disappeared. Ruby approached him, kneeling down next to his futon.

"How're you feeling?" Her face was covered with concern.

"I'm just wiped. It's been a long day." He heard a growl come from his stomach, "Hey, so, what are you guys planning to do for dinner? It doesn't look like you're dressed to head for the dining hall."

"Yang's taking care of it. She usually makes us dinner on the weekends, so she's in this floors kitchen throwing something together. She's a great cook, so I'm sure you're gonna love it."

"And while you're waiting…" Weiss walked over and dropped a textbook on his futon, "You need to catch up on the readings for tomorrow's class. Both of you, now that I think about it."

She frowned at Ruby, who pouted, "But it's the weekend, and we just got a new teammate!"

"Oh hush. I've been on you to catch up for the past week. Now, since we have Farran here, hopefully the two of you can work together to make sure you understand the material. I may not be team leader, Ruby Rose, but I will not allow any member of this team to have poor grades. Now I'd advise you two get to it."

With no room to protest, Farran cracked open the textbook Weiss had given him, turning to the start of his required reading. As it turned out, Ruby had been procrastinating on the readings since the first week of school, so the two of them ended up tackling the readings together from the beginning. Much like the textbooks Farran had received from Goodwitch in the hospital, all the information he was reading seemed like he was recalling it, rather than learning it for the first time, despite the fact that if anyone had asked him about any of it beforehand, he wouldn't have understood any of it. Still, he found this rather useful, as on the few occasions that Ruby was confused about the content, he was able to break it down into an easier to understand format. The pair worked well into the night, even reading as they were eating when Yang returned, until they finally finished the assignment, much to Weiss' elation. Finally finished, the girls decided they were going to go to sleep, but Farran elected to stay up, reading through the readings for his other classes while he was already in the mood.

Hours later, Farran was woken up by his scroll ringing, realizing he had managed to fall asleep, face down in one of his textbooks.  _Guess I really did overdo it training today. Dust, why's this damn thing ringing, I haven't given my number to anyone yet._  He pulled it out and opened it up, the hole-screen displaying a new app that hadn't been on there earlier. The thumbnail for it was blue, with the outline of a butterfly. Almost like… His head throbbed, images of a long-nosed man, a golden-eyed girl, and a blue courtroom flooding his mind.  _There's no way these aren't connected. But how…? Well, might as well see what it does_.

Pressing the thumbnail cause a black box to fill the screen, a large white play button in the middle. Farran pressed it, and the screen was instantly filled with blue static and garbled words. This continued on for about a minute until the words "Agni Richards" and a timer reading "Deadline – 612:07:59", which began counting down from there. After this was displayed for a few seconds, the scroll flashed back to the main screen. Farran stared at the screen in disbelief for quite a while.  _What the hell was that?! "Agni Richards"? A deadline? I don't get it..._  No matter how many times he pressed the app again, all he could get to come up was an error message reading "Find the One".  _Find the one? What does that even mean?! Ugh, forget it. I'm going to bed. I'll ask the girls tomorrow at lunch, see if they know anything_. Farran rolled over, closing his eyes and doing his best to forget the strange app until morning.

* * *

 

The next morning proved to be too chaotic for Farran to ask the team about anything, let alone the mysterious app on his scroll. He woke up to find the girls already scrambling to get their shower in and get dressed in their uniforms. By the time Farran was able to get himself ready, the group had to skip breakfast and sprint to Goodwitch's class. Class took place in the training halls they had gone to the day before, with Goodwitch picking teams to spar against each other. Farran, who still wasn't medically cleared and under Goodwitch's watchful eye, was forced to stay up in the stands and watch. Even with so much on his mind, he couldn't help but sit and watch glumly as his team took the field. It ended up being rather fleeting as, once his team started to wipe the floor with the team they were paired against, Team CRDL if he heard correctly, he started cheering them from his seat all the same. While not a total beat down at first, it soon became obvious that, despite both teams being highly skilled, the balance of Team RWBY's skillset put them far and ahead of their close-range focused opponent. With a victory under their belt, and class ending soon after that, the team decided to go celebrate over lunch between classes.

By the time Farran had made it through the lunch line, the rest of Team RWBY had already sat down with their lunches, joined by a group of people he wasn't familiar with. Ruby saw him approaching the table and waved him over to join them. As he sat down, she turned to the other group to introduce him.

"So, I don't think you guys have met yet. Team JNPR, this is Farran Park. He's the transfer from Atlas that we told you about a while ago." She turned back to Farran, "Farran, this is Team JNPR. They're the team that lives across the hall from us. They're some really nice people."

"Oh yea. I remember you saying something about him." One of the two boys, a blonde, nodded, "Welcome to Beacon. I'm Jaune Arc. Nice to meet you, Farran."

The redhead next to him nodded, "Yes, welcome! My name is Pyrrha Nikos. I hope your first day has gone alright."

"Glad to have you in the group, Far!" the orange haired girl across from Pyrrha reached over and slugged him, "Nora Valkyrie, pleased to meet ya. Oh, and the quiet lug next to me is Lie Ren."

The black haired boy next to her sighed, "I could've introduced myself, you know. In any case, welcome Farran."

"Thanks guys, I appreciate it. Nice to meet you to. Wait a second…" Farran thought back for a second, "Hey, I saw you guys yesterday! You probably don't remember, since we just passed each other though. You were talking about a detective or something."

"A detective? Hold on…" Recognition flashed across Pyrrha's eyes, "Oh! That boy with the really long hair was you? You must have had Yang cut it, I hardly recognized you."

Yang crossed her arms, smirking, "What can I say, I'm a miracle worker. I couldn't let him walk around looking like that, it was an affront to hair everywhere!"

"I thought you only did it so Weiss didn't complain…" Farran deadpanned, said silver-haired girl glaring indignantly at Yang.

"Wait, so if you're a member of Team RWBY, why didn't you participate in class today?" Jaune tilted his head, confused, "And what would that even make your team name now?"

"Still Team RWBY. I told Ozpin upfront, I didn't want billing in the name. It's bad enough that I'm making them take me in, I don't have the right to screw up anything else for them. As for class, well… I hate to admit it, but I'm not medically cleared to do much of anything right now. I screwed up my knee and ribs in my last class at Atlas, unfortunately."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. Still, it's probably for the best for you to rest until you're one hundred percent again." Pyrrha smiled kindly, "Still, if there's anything we can do to help you get adjusted, or if you ever have any questions, just ask. Your team has been good to us since day one, so we'd be more than happy to return the favor."

"Thanks, that's… Actually, I have a question right now if you don't mind. For everyone, really." He pulled out his scroll, "Does 'Agni Richards' ring a bell to any of you?"

"Ugh, unfortunately." Blake set down her fork, looking up from her food, "Why, has he already stared harassing you, Farran?"

"Harassing? No, not me… Just heard his name recently. Who is he? And does he really go after students?"

"He's, well…" Pyrrha started, "He's the Director of Security here at Beacon. There are a lot of nasty rumors about him."

"Rumors aren't even the half of it." Blake glowered, "How the guy has a job here is beyond me. If you're old money, the guy's your best friend. He'll let you do absolutely whatever you want. Otherwise, you're instantly on his shit list. Especially if you're a Faunus. I saw that bastard going after Velvet the other day. As if that poor girl doesn't have enough to deal with…"

"OWW! Cardin, that hurts! Let go of my ears!" A female voice from behind Farran called out.

"Speaking of which…"

The group turned around, looking at a table a few rows behind them. The group that Team RWBY had beaten in class earlier was currently surrounding a brown-haired rabbit Faunus, who was timidly trying to get away from them. Their apparent leader, who Farran assumed was Cardin, was seated at the table, leering at her, his face a mix of fury and sadistic glee. Every time the girl would try to get away, one of his goons would shove her down onto his lap, where he would grab her ears and pull. From what he could see, her face was flushed, and she was almost in tears.

Blake glared at them, "Cardin… That piece of shit. He only does that cause he knows he can get away with it, with Richards in his pocket. That's what I mean when I say… Farran, what are you doing?!"

By the time she looked back to him, Farran was already between their table and Team CRDL, furiously storming in their direction, a murderous look on his face. Seeing their new friend crossing into dangerous territory, both Team RWBY and Team JNPR jumped up and chased after him. Just as he closed the distance, the girl had once again been shoved down on Cardin. Farran threw two of his lackeys out of his way as he approached.

"What the hell are you doing, man?! Let her go!" Farran roared down at him.

Cardin shoved the girl off of him, standing up and staring him dead in the eye, "I'm just having some fun. Isn't that what animals are for? And just who are you that you think you can tell me what to do?"

"Who the hell do you think I am? I'm the guy that's gonna knock your ass out if I see you put your hands on that girl ever again!" His voice was filled with venom.

"Oh really? I'd like to see you try…"

Cardin took a step back from Farran, holding his arms out to his sides, giving him a free shot. Realizing the girl had cleared out, and there was no reason to start anything, Farran shook his head and started to walk away, only to find himself surrounded by the rest of Team CRDL. Cardin chuckled, before throwing a haymaker at Farran's face. At least, where it had been. Hearing Cardin approach, Farran ducked out of the way, allowing the punch to make contact with one of the goons. Cardin furiously looked around, only for Farran to spin around, catching him in the jaw with his heel, knocking him to the ground. Just then, Teams RWBY and JNPR had caught up, grabbing Farran and trying to separate him from Team CRDL. Cardin scrambled back to his feet, throwing fists at any spot of Farran's flesh that he could find, catching him in the ribs a few times. Coughing furiously, Farran brought his fist back to retaliate, only to find it caught in midair by an invisible force. Team CRDL immediately backed off, seeing Glynda Goodwitch skulking her way to the group and ordering them to separate.

Minutes later, Farran found himself forced down onto a chair in the faculty office by Goodwitch. As soon as she had managed to get the three teams to break it up, she took Farran from his team, essentially dragging him from the dining hall to the office, the blows from Cardin to his ribs having caused him to go into a serious coughing fit. She sat down at her desk across from him, her lips curled in a concerned frown, another wave of coughs overtaking him.

"Mister Park, honestly. You haven't been medically cleared for combat for a reason. Not only did you think it smart to pick a fight on your first day, you even went so far as to go against your doctor's orders and participate in combat practice anyway, and look what happened. Accidents happen all the time in our line of work, even in practice."

Farran tried to catch his breath, the coughing subsiding for a moment, "So I take it… Professor Peach told you..?"

Goodwitch pinched the bridge of her nose, "Of course she did. What happened was very serious, you were lucky you aren't worse off than you are. What happened to you not wanting to stand out? You've been rather conspicuous since you've arrived, if you ask me."

"Professor, I'm not gonna lie. I have no idea what the old me was like…" He looked her in the eyes, "But the new me? I'm not going to sit around and watch as someone who can't or won't defend themselves gets bullied. That's what I've decided I'm going to be like."

"Mister Park, while that is a commendable attitude to have, you can hardly just-"

"Well now, what have we here?" Goodwitch was cut off from a man's voice from the door, "The troublemaker transfer at work again, I see."

Farran turned around to see a short, rotund man, wearing a suit far too small for him, waddle his way into the office, a sick sneer on his frog-like face. He approached Goodwitch's desk, leaning against it and running a hand through his combed-over hair.

"Can we help you, Mister Richards?" Goodwitch didn't even bother to look at him.

"That's Director Richards, Glynda. You should know that by now." He winked at her, sending shivers up Farran's spine, "Of course, you could always just call me Agni."

"Very well, Director Richards," Richards visually deflated at her blowing him off, "my question still stands. I'm in the middle of a conversation with one of my students. Can't whatever it is wait until-"

"That's actually why I'm here. Honestly, Glynda, I don't understand why you're just sitting here talking with a degenerate like him, when you should be giving him the boot. Picking a fight with an upstanding student like Cardin Winchester… It's detestable, really."

"Oh, yeah. He's such an upstanding guy alright." Farran glared at him, "Such a great guy, that he'd bully and harass some poor girl to the point that she's almost in tears. Are you really so-"

"Farran!" Goodwitch cut him off before turning to Richards, "Punishment is hardly an option in this case. Mister Park has no offenses on his record here, and if we were to throw out every student to ever be in a fight at Beacon, we'd have no students left. Besides, Mister Park was not the one who started that fight. Mister Winchester attacked him, and he defended himself."

"Really now, that is a surprise. I'll have to go over and watch  _my_  security tapes again." Richards made sure to stress the "my" as much as possible, "From what I saw, Mister Winchester was minding his own business when this brute got in his face and attacked him! It is our job to protect our students, Glynda. Especially those with as proud a lineage as the Winchesters. I would remember that if I were you. Now, I must be going, I have some things to attend to."

They watched as Richards waddled back out of the room. As the door closed behind him, Goodwitch sighed, "Why must he stick his nose into business that doesn't concern him?"

Farran leaned forward, lowering his voice, "How exactly does a guy like that have such a high position here? I don't know him that well, but Ozpin didn't exactly strike me as the kind of person that'd promote someone like him."

She crossed her arms, "I'm not exactly a fan of his, if that wasn't obvious enough, but I'm not about to gossip about any of the staff here. Just be careful Mister Park. There's only so much Ozpin and I can do to protect you. Just a word of warning."

"Noted. So, can I go now Professor? I need to get back to my team."

"Yes, go ahead." He stood up, but Goodwitch stopped him before he could leave, "Just remember, fighting is not encouraged at Beacon. However, you are always able to challenge him in the training halls. Once you've been medically cleared, of course. Have a good day, Mister Park."

Farran nodded and left the office, his lungs thankfully feeling back to normal. Despite never having touched his lunch, he thought it would be best for him to just return to the dorm and take a nap to put the day's events out of his mind. Even then, his entire walk out of the main building, his head was filled with questions about the mysterious app on his scroll. He hadn't gotten the chance to ask the team about it, and the idea of asking Goodwitch about it was less than appealing to him. With the app only responding with an error message, there was no way he'd be able to get a straight answer out of her about it, even if she knew what it was about. Especially with her refusing to talk about Richards. At least his team should give him the benefit of the doubt.

Just as Farran was getting through his train of thought, he passed a gap between buildings, some hands shot out from the alley, grabbing him and pulling him in. Next thing he knew, Farran was being slammed against a wall. He looked up to see the face of Cardin sneering down at him. Two of his goons from earlier were holding him against the wall from either side.

"Well now. Look what we have here." Cardin snarled, "The Animal Lover from earlier shows his face once again. What are the odds?"

Farran glared right back, "What do you want, asshole? I'm just going back to the dorm. I got no business with you. Or did you get tired of that girl turning you down, so you thought you'd take a pass at me? Sorry man, you wouldn't be my type even if I did swing that way."

"Clever, very clever. But you and I do have business. You see…" Cardin decked him in the stomach, "what you fail to realize," Another punch, across the jaw, "is that this school is mine." A flurry of punches to his ribs, "I can do whatever I please here. If I want to mess with that animal, I can. If I want to beat some stupid transfers face into paste, I can. If I want to sell drugs on campus for some spending money, you better believe I can."

Farran started wheezing, "You… are going… to pay… asshole."

"Oh really? What are you gonna do? Fight back? Agni will just make up some evidence that you attacked me. You see, with Agni in my pocket, I can do whatever I please, and any trace of me doing anything wrong will disappear. I dare you, mess with me again and find out what happens. Now then, I have my job to attend to. Nighty night, Transfer."

Cardin cracked him across the face once more. His goons finally let Farran fall, and by the time he hit the ground, he was already out cold.

Hours later, Farran finally came back to the world, woken up by a worried voice next to him. When he opened his eyes, he could tell that the sun was already close to setting, and the air was slowly growing chillier. He forced himself back into a sitting position, helped by the very clearly distraught Ruby Rose sitting next to him.

"Farran, what happened to you? We've been looking for you for hours!"

"Cardin…" Farran coughed, "They grabbed me… pulled me in here… beat me down."

Ruby grabbed his hand, holding it comfortingly, "I'm sorry. We tried to warn you. Cardin… Director Richards is a very well connected man. Not to mention he runs the surveillance system all across campus. Blake was right when she said he's the best friend of anyone with money. He'll let them do whatever they want, then get rid of any proof."

"Fantastic…" He rasped.

"Why do you think we didn't try to help Velvet earlier? It's not like we have anything against her, and we're not ok with what Cardin does… But with his connection to Richards, there's not much we can do without getting thrown out." For someone so usually chipper, Ruby's voice was surprisingly dark, "How did you even find out about him anyway? You were asking about him at lunch."

"Oh yeah… I was going to… ask you guys at lunch." Farran fumbled for his scroll, "Last night, I woke up to this weird app appearing on my scroll, and I never downloaded it on my own. Have you seen anything like it?"

She looked at the screen, "A blue butterfly? No, can't say I have. It's a cute picture though. What's it do?"

"Well, it's the weirdest thing. I pressed it and this video screen popped up. It started playing some blue static, then his name and a countdown timer appeared. The app closed out on its own, and every time I press it now, I get an error message." He pressed the app again to demonstrate, "Like, see here... Wait… what?"

As soon as he pressed it, he could tell something was different. Instead of the error message that had been popping up, the video screen from the other night appeared. A silent video started playing but, instead of static, it showed a video of a row of lockers, with the numbers "4/24 12:07" displayed in the corner. Farran could make out what looked like Richards up by the end of the lockers, and that Faunus girl, Velvet, approaching one of them. She opened what was presumably her locker, and a mountain of plastic bags filled with white powder spilled out. Richards ran over to her, and the video cut away. It then showed a scene in what Farran recognized as the faculty office. Velvet and Richards were in there alone, the bags that fell from her locker on the table. Velvet seemed to be in tears while Richards wildly berated her, until he stopped and grinned maliciously. He stuck out his hand, and waited until Velvet shook it. Then the video started cutting between various scenes of Richards extorting her, and Velvet's life slowly getting worse as she grew paler and thinner. Velvet sneaking through a dilapidated neighborhood carrying a large bag of the powder, Richards forcing her head down into a pile of the powder, Velvet trying some on her own, Velvet arguing with her family, Velvet crying alone, etc. Finally, the last scene started playing, this time with sound. It appeared to be Velvet and Richards having a conversation in some rundown apartment, their voices severely distorted.

"Mister Richards, please don't make me go see Cardin… He-" Velvet pleaded, her eyes filled with tears.

"Do NOT talk back to me, you filthy animal." Richards glared at her, "After everything I did for you. Covering for you at Beacon for those drugs. Giving you a job and a place to stay when you managed to get kicked out of Beacon anyway, and your parents abandoned you. You owe me. Mister Winchester is one of my top suppliers out in the field. I'll never understand how he finds a beast like you attractive, but that's not my concern. You are to go and make sure he's happy, understood?"

"But-"

"No buts! Here…" He spread a line of the powder on the table, "This should help you get through it. But that's your payment for today, since I'm wasting the good stuff on you." Richards watched as Velvet hungrily snorted it up, "There you go. Now get going, I promised you'd be there soon. But before you go, what do you say when I fuel that filthy habit of yours?"

"Thank you, Mister Richards… I'll… I'll be going now." She rushed from the room.

Left alone, Richards chuckled to himself, "Stupid girl still doesn't suspect a thing. Still, I'm gonna need another mule soon. Might have to see if there's anyone from this year's freshmen class I can 'save'…"

As the scene finished, the screen cut back to the blue static. Just like the previous night, words flashed on screen. This time, however, they read, "Without action, their fate has been decided. Will you rewrite the future?" followed by the countdown, reading "Deadline – 595:53:21". After a few seconds of displaying the countdown, the app closed itself again. Farran and Ruby looked at each other bewildered. Ruby opened her mouth to speak, but before she could, the screen of Farran's scroll started glowing a bright blue light. The light began to engulf them, making it near impossible to see. Despite being in an alleyway on an otherwise peaceful day, Farran could feel gales of wind rush past them, and then, finally, the world around them began to crumble and fall away.


	3. I Am Thou

Beyond the blinding blue light coming from his scroll, it felt as if the world around Farran and Ruby was falling apart and pulling itself back together. Just as suddenly as it had started, however, with one last deafening screech, all movement around them ceased and the light finally began to dim. It took a second for Farran to regain his sight after the light faded away, but as soon as he could take in his surroundings, he knew something was wrong. He and Ruby were no longer in the alleyway, instead they found themselves at the edge of campus, looking down at what appeared to be a horrific caricature of the city of Vale. It was as if in the few seconds they weren't able to see, Vale had become a war zone. All of the buildings were replaced with rundown shacks and ruined apartments, fires burning in the streets. Farran felt Ruby tugging at his sleeve, causing him to turn around to an even more disturbing sight. Despite clearly being where Beacon Academy had once stood, the school was gone. In its place sat an expansive factory, purple smog billowing from stacks on top and filling the sky. The only remains of the school they once knew was the CCT tower, which now rose fare beyond its previous height, the top no longer visible beyond the foreboding clouds of smog overhead.

"Farran…" Ruby's voice was filled with terror, "What on Remnant did your scroll just do? Did it do all this the other night?"

"Hell no…" Farran tried, but failed to keep his wits about him, panic filling his brain, "Where the hell are we?"

"It looks like Beacon, but there's no way it's…" Ruby shook her head, "Farran, we need to find the others. We have to make sure they're ok!"

"Yea… Help me up, and let's go."

She pulled him up, and the duo raced towards the tower. At least, they went as fast as they were able, with Ruby having to support Farran as they moved, the latter still suffering from the smack down Cardin gave him. Slowly but surely, they made their way to the base of the tower, the entrance to the factory growing nearer. Ruby threw the door open and helped Farran hobble inside, finding themselves in what appeared to be the lobby, which, despite not being as rundown as the town outside, was still completely abandoned. A phone sat ringing on the desk on the far wall, behind which sat the CCT Tower's elevator. Ruby steered them over to a line of chairs, setting Farran down to rest for a second.

"Ruby, do you have your scroll? Can't you give Yang a call or something, see if you can reach her?"

"Yea, I do!" She fumbled through her bag, pulling out her scroll and opening it, "Darn, no signal… But how can there be no signal? We're  _inside_  the CCT! What is going on…?"

"We should try the elevator. Ozpin's office is at the top of the tower, right? If anyone around here knows what the hell is going on, it's him."

Ruby nodded, helping him back to his feet and over to the elevator. He thumbed the call button, causing the display above it to demand authorization. He tried swiping his scroll over it, only to get an "Access Denied" message in return. Nevertheless, the display showed that the elevator started descending towards them. Moments later, the doors slid open, and a group of suited men stormed out, right towards them. Farran went to wave to them, but his hand immediately changed course to grab his blade once he got a good look at their faces. These "men" appeared to be entirely made of black smoke, sunken red eyes peering out from behind a masquerade mask. At the sight of the two, they pulled police clubs from a holster on their belts, standing menacingly.

"What are you two doing?" The one closest to Farran called out, "Elevator access to unauthorized personnel is strictly prohibited. Return to your posts at once, and do not leave until you've met your Diamond Dust quota."

Farran turned to Ruby and whispered, "Ruby, when I draw my sword, I want you to let me go and run. Find the others, find JNPR, hell find anyone and make sure you get away from wherever here is."

"Farran, I'm not leaving you here!" She protested.

"Hold! Why do you have that sword?" The lead figure took a threatening step towards them, "Unauthorized possession of weapons is strictly prohibited. You two are going to have to come with me!"

"Now, Ruby!" Farran roared, drawing his sword.

Farran charged the lead figure, catching him by surprise and running him through with his blade. The figure fell, vanishing as if Farran had pierced the seal keeping its smoke inside. He tried to use his momentum to slice through a second guard, only for his target to raise his club to block his attack. The club effortlessly stopped his blade, as if Farran had attempted to strike a brick wall. Ruby, who had no room to argue without Crescent Rose, turned to run, but was immediately stopped by another group of the shadowy figures appearing out of thin air behind them. Farran stepped back and turned to confirm her escape, only to find she was surrounded by this new wave of guards. He tried to charge at this new group of enemies, only for his previous target to smash him on the bad knee with his club before he could take more than a step, knocking him flat. His sword flew from his hands, skidding across the floor away from him. As he lay prone, he looked up to see one of the figures hoisting Ruby, kicking and screaming, over their shoulder. Farran spun around, trying to get back to his feet, only for the figure that attacked him to grab him by the throat. He tried to do anything he could to break free from their grasp, but could do little more than watch as the guard raised its club above its head, bringing it crashing down on his skull. Farran's sight flashed white and red, the smell of copper filling his nostrils, before finally his vision faded to black.

* * *

Lost in the sea of his unconsciousness, Farran once again felt like he was floating. He opened his eyes to find nothing but an endless blue mist in around him. Before he could process more than that, there was a bright flash of light, cutting through the mist. Once it ended, he found himself seated in a familiar wrought iron chair, in a familiar courtroom, with an eerie, long-nosed man grinning down at him from the judge's podium. Surprisingly, there was no golden haired girl sitting to his left this time, leaving Farran and Igor alone in the Velvet Room.

"You know…" Farran couldn't help but laugh at the ridiculousness of the situation, "I am really getting sick and tired of getting knocked out at this point. What's that, three times in two days now?"

Igor chuckled as well, "Indeed. Perhaps, my dear guest, you should follow the age old idiom… Oh, what is it you humans say, 'keep your chin up'? Hmhmhm."

"I don't think that's what the phrase means, but I get your point." He leaned forward in his chair, "You know, Igor. I started thinking this was a one off dream after a bit. Wasn't expecting to actually make it back here."

"In that case, please allow me to welcome you back to the Velvet Room, my dear guest. After all, I did say in our last meeting that we would talk some more once you took your first steps on your journey."

"Wait…" Farran took a panicked look around, "Where's Ruby? Didn't she come here with me? I need to get back there before anything happens to her-"

Igor raised a hand to silence him, "Do not be alarmed. No harm will befall your friend while you are here in this room. I cannot guarantee her safety afterwards, however I sent Viola to make sure she will be fine when you return. We do have much to discuss. About your journey, about that world, and about the power you will ideally soon possess."

"That world… So I take it that app on my scroll was your doing then? The blue butterfly seems like it's related to this place."

"Correct on both accounts." Igor stuck out his palm, allowing a blue butterfly to land on it, "The butterfly is the symbol of my master, the one who created the Velvet Room. We use it as a sign for our guests, letting them know of our presence. The program on your scroll, while not originally my design, was something I adapted to aid you on your journey. It will be invaluable in your pursuit of justice."

"Justice…" Farran took a breath to calm down, "Ok. So, what exactly was that video? And what was that world for that matter?"

"One thing at a time, my dear guest. The application was designed to allow you a glimpse into the future. Without your interference, the events you saw are destined to happen, without fail. That poor girl will lose her freedom, enslaved by the vice that will be forced upon her. Meanwhile, her tormentor will be allowed to walk free, entirely able to force such a fate on more innocent victims."

"Wait, so you're saying all of that is going to happen?! But that doesn't make any sense! I mean, yeah, Velvet is pretty timid, from what little I've seen from her at least, but she doesn't seem like she'd just go along with all that!" It just seems way too simple and easy for Richards to have taken over her life like that…"

Igor blinked in confusion, then chuckled, "Ah, I see. My dear guest, while your fears are completely understandable, you needn't worry. Your world is indeed a cruel place, where the events you saw will surely take place. However, it is not so cruel that someone could so easily accomplish such a feat. With the exception of the very start of the video, the rest of those events were condensed and dramatized for your convenience. In actuality, they will play out in a slow and subtle manner over quite some time. Months, possibly years. Essentially, it was a summarization of her ultimate fate, which would otherwise take days to gain an understanding of. Time neither you, nor I, have the luxury of, I'm afraid."

Farran's lips curled into a frown, "But you said I could stop it from happening, right? What do I have to do?"

"That is the purpose of the other world. It is what you may think of as the world of Humanity's subconscious. Needless to say, it is an entirely different world than the one you came from, just in case you were still worried. What you saw specifically was what's called a 'Palace', which is what happens when a human's desires start to run rampant, distorting how they view the real world. Inside, you will find the Shadow, or a human's desires taking physical form, of the one who will set that girl's fate. Defeat it, and his desires will leave him, causing his distorted view of the world to crumble. Ah, but perhaps I should use the term Humanoid instead? My apologies, however it has been some time since I have been to a world where more than one sentient race exists. The other beings, Faunus I believe you call them, contribute to this world as well."

"So, I defeat this Shadow thing, and he'll leave Velvet alone?"

"Correct. In fact, it may have further reaching consequences than that. It will be as if he's a whole new person. He will most likely confess to the crimes he's committed, leading to the justice I'm sure you seek."

"That would be nice…" Farran shook his head, "Hold on, how can I even beat it? Those guards, I think they're shadows too, they took me out without even trying. I mean, I know I've only been at this for two days, but I'm being trained to kill Grimm! Hell, Ruby's our team leader, and yea she didn't have her weapon, but they still took her down way too easily.

Igor nodded, "They were indeed Shadows as well, however they weren't those of any one person in particular. They were merely beings of the human subconscious corrupted by the distortions. Weapons from your world do little to most of them on their own, I'm afraid. When you return, you will have the choice to accept power that will allow you to fight them."

"So, I have to go back, accept this power, then fight that Shadow?"

"On the contrary, my dear guest, you do not have to do anything. You are my guest, not my servant. I am not able to force you to do anything you do not wish to do."

"No, I get that… Well, I mean, I kind of do have to do this, I'm not about to let all of that just happen when I have the ability to stop it. I just want to clarify that's what I need to do to change her fate."

"That is correct. I would like to advise caution, however. It is not as easy as you make it sound. In order to accept this power, you must first accept every part of yourself. Your fears, your inadequacies, everything you try to avoid thinking about. It is not something people can do easily. Beyond that, the Shadows you will face will be powerful, the Palace's Shadow even more so, and they will kill you if given the opportunity. Are you still sure you will try to change her fate?"

Farran sat silently in thought for a moment, then nodded, "Yea. No matter what, I'm not gonna let all that happen. Besides, I'm gonna need that power to get Ruby out of there safe."

"Very well. As I have said before, I will be here to assist you on your path to justice. Hmhmhm" Igor's grin widened, "Now then, our time together is once again almost over. There is one more thing I wish to share with you before you leave. When you return to the real world, I would advise you to seek out and form bonds with the people around you. These friendships, so long as they are not frivolous, will strengthen the power of your own heart, allowing you to better pursue your justice. Just something to keep in mind."

Farran could hear Ruby's voice from far away, "Farran! Wake up! Please wake up…"

"It seems that is all the time we have for now. We shall speak more on this matter later, once you get a better understanding of your abilities. As for now, my dear guest, I must bid you farewell. Until we meet again."

Igor gave him one last wave farewell, and the Velvet Room started to disappear around him, enveloped in the same blue mist Farran had seen before. Soon, he was left floating alone again, drifting towards Ruby's voice.

* * *

Farran could hear Ruby just to his left, "Get up! Please Farran, we need to get out of here."

"Mm… Five more minutes, Ruby. Class isn't for another hour…" He rolled away from her.

"Get up, you dummy!" She kicked Farran as hard as she could on the back, knocking him off the bed he was lying on, "This is serious!"

Farran, rubbing his back where Ruby kicked him, looked up to see her on the bed he had just been on. The two of them were together in what looked like a prison cell meant for one person, the room not even wide enough for Farran to fully extend his arms to the side, and most of that room was taken up by the bed. The walls were sterile white and padded, with a small porthole covered by iron bars on what was probably the door. The only other thing of note was a small hole in the ground over in the far corner, a sign above it reading "Toilet".  _Pleasant…_  Farran looked back to Ruby, who was hugging her knees to her chest, her eyes filling with tears. He pulled himself up and plopped down next to her, wrapping his arm around her shoulder.

"You ok? They didn't hurt you or anything, did they?"

She shook her head, "They knocked you out, then dragged the two of us up here. Farran… That creep Richards is in charge of all of them. I know it was him, but he was talking super weird. Cardin and his team too. Richards told the guards to throw us in here, and started talking about what he's gonna do to us… He said he's either going to kill you, or make you work in that factory making Diamond Dust. I guess that's some sort of drug. He's apparently been getting students like Cardin to sell it on campus… And me… he said… Oh Dust, I don't even want to think about it!" She finally broke down, crying into his shoulder.

"Hey now, easy Ruby. You don't need to worry about a thing. You and I are gonna get out of here and go home. Everything's gonna be ok."

"But Farran, where even is here?!" Her voice started to crack, "What if this really is Beacon somehow, how are we going to..?"

"Just trust me on this one. This is… really difficult to explain. Basically, where we are is a world inside Richards' heart. All of this here is how he views the world because his desires screwed up how he sees things. My scroll brought us here. Now, there should be someone here that's going to help us get out. Once we get out of the building, we hightail it out of here and go home."

Ruby rubbed her eyes, getting rid of her tears, "World in his heart..? I don't really get it, but I trust you. But how do you figure there's someone else that will help-"

She was interrupted by the cell door swinging open, a girl with golden hair and eyes wearing a floor length blue dress standing in the doorway, her arms crossed, "I never imagined that I'd have to bail our dear guest out of prison on his first trip to the Metaverse."

"Happy to see you too, Viola. Missed seeing you in the Velvet Room." He grinned, much to Viola's apparent chagrin, "What's the escape plan?"

"We're at the top of the tower. Only way down is the elevator, unless you can sprout wings and fly. I've found a secure route there, but we're going to have to move quickly. Last I saw, there was a group of Shadows headed this-" Before she could say anything more, Viola was grabbed and dragged out of the room.

"Well, it looks like we finally caught ourselves our Golden Goose. Sit tight, Blondie. I'm afraid there's no time for a jailbreak today. It's punishment time for your little friends here, and at least one of 'em is gonna be… tied up for a while, if you catch my drift." A familiar, yet heavily distorted voice came from around the corner as Cardin Winchester, dressed in a cheap mobster suit, walked into the cell. Farran noticed his sword and scabbard were secured to Cardin's belt, "Hello, Transfer. I'd say I'm surprised you're stupid enough to come here, but since you thought it was a good idea to stand up to me, I'm really not."

"Cardin? What are you doing here?" Farran rubbed his eyes to make sure he was seeing right after the blow to his head, "And why are you dressed like some two bit gangster from some old movie?"

"You like it? Standard uniform here, on orders of Boss Richards. Ah, and I see you brought your cute, little team leader too. Good, good, I'm sure she'll sell for a high price."

Ruby hid behind Farran, who glared back at Cardin, "You piece of shit. If you think I'm gonna let you lay a hand on her, you're GAH-"

Cardin cut him off by grabbing him by the throat, surprisingly with enough strength to lift Farran off the ground. Farran hanged there, choking and looking into his now yellow eyes. Cardin sneered, "You really are stupid, aren't you? Like I said before, I can do whatever I want, and there's not a damn thing you can do about it. Guards!"

Two Shadow guards entered the cell, taking Farran from Cardin's grasp. They drug him outside, into a small room outside the cell, slamming him into the far wall, next to where two more guards were holding Viola. Moments later, Cardin dragged Ruby out of the cell, her arms bound behind her back, and threw her down in the center of the room. He stepped on her back, unsheathing Farran's blade, a look of sadistic glee painted on his face.

Cardin cackled, "I told you you'd pay, Transfer. This is all because you stood up to me. I am gonna torture these two and make you watch. Then, when I'm finished and they're on their way to being auctioned off, I'm gonna kill you with your own sword. A fitting end for a loser like you."

"No! That-" Viola gasped, but was cut off by a guard forcing its hand over her mouth.

"I'll give you one chance to apologize to them, Transfer. Say you're sorry for ruining their lives like the piece of trash you are!" Cardin took a step towards Farran, a maniacal grin crossing his lips and his arms spread tauntingly.

Before he could move any further, Farran saw Cardin freeze mid-stride. In fact, as he looked around him, it seemed as if the entire room had frozen around him. Ruby and Viola were no longer struggling to get free, nor were the guards trying to prevent his escape. It looked, as far as he could tell, that time itself had completely stopped. Yet, despite everyone in the room being completely still, Farran could hear the sound of slow clapping coming from the cell. He could see something move by the door, until out walked something he never thought he would see. A boy strolled out of the cell, clad in a leather jacket, jeans, and a grey shirt. His thick, black hair hung all the way down to his lower back, bangs partially covering his yellow eyes. It was as if someone had made a near perfect replica of Farran the day he left the hospital.

"Well, well, well. Congratulations, Farran!" The boy talked in a voice that, despite being warped, sounded exactly like Farran's own, "It took you two days of your new life to once again find yourself about to die, and you decided to bring two of your friends along with you. So absolutely perfect…"

"Who the hell are you? What's going on here, and why is everything frozen?" Farran struggled, but the frozen guards held him still against the wall.

"What, don't you like it? I stopped time so you and I could have a little chat. It's amazing how distortions work in this cozy little world of ours, isn't it? As for me, well… I'm someone you should know very well. After all, I am you." The boy laughed, "At least, I'm what you fear most. I'm the 'you' you don't remember. The one before you fell. You lied when you said you weren't going to worry about me. I've been haunting your thoughts and dreams ever since you woke up. See, I'm not like most Shadows. When people accept their Shadows, they know exactly what part of themselves make up their Shadow. But not me. I could be absolutely anything, and you have to accept me without knowing who you were, cause you can't remember. It scares you to death, doesn't it?"

"I'm… I'm not scared of you…"

"Oh really? You're not scared of what you were before? Oh that's right, you're still trying to force me away with this whole tough guy act. Desperately trying to keep yourself sane with the idea that, maybe, you were really just some normal kid before all this happened. That one day, whenever you do get your memories back, you're going to have a perfectly normal life to look back on. And who knows, maybe even a home to go back to, and a family that'll be oh so proud that their son turned into a brave, strong Huntsman. Gods, you are so delusional."

"Shut up… You don't know anything about-"

"You are far from a normal person, and there's not going to be some normal life to go back to. Just stop and think for a second, Farran. It's not normal for someone to have another person decide to toss them off the top of an apartment building. It's not normal to wake up and find out that someone decided to erase every sign that you ever existed. It's not normal for the Headmaster of a Huntsmen academy to take the time to come down to a hospital, and ask somebody to come to their academy for their own protection!"

"Stop it…"

"There's no normal family waiting for you at the end of all this. If there was one, the police would have already found out about them. You'd know who you were already, cause they would have come to find you by now! You either have no family, or they are far from normal. Face it, Farran. It's entirely likely that the you in the past was just as bad as Cardin or Richards. Maybe even worse. And some day, that past life might just come back to haunt you. What happens then, huh? There's no way your team will keep someone like that around, right? You'll be all on your own again, just like when you first woke up in that hospital bed. And it does scare you to death, doesn't it?"

"Of course I'm scared!" Farran gritted his teeth, no longer able to keep himself calm, "Shit, who wouldn't be?! I know nothing about myself! I could wake up some day and have to deal with the consequences of something I never did, that some stranger that I apparently used to be did, and there's nothing I can do about it! What the hell do you want from me?!"

"If there's nothing you can do about it, then why worry?" Shadow Farran suddenly became completely calm.

"What… What are you talking about? Aren't you the one who just said-?"

"I know what I just said. You've spent almost two weeks freaking out over what your past may or may not have been like. But if you don't know what happened, and you can't do anything about it anyway, then what's the point! The only thing you can do now is move on. Besides, it's not like your teammates are the type to just toss you out because of your past."

"But I barely even know them! I met them yesterday, and I've done nothing but cause problems for them since! Even Ruby, as nice as she seems… I just don't can't help but think there's a point where they'll just want me gone, especially when they didn't want me in the first place.

"What was it that Ozpin said? Undying trust in your teammates is essential at Beacon. You have to trust them, man. I know it's only been a day, but they've supported you so far. And it's not like they're stupid either. I'm sure they, or at least Weiss, thought about all this before they ever agreed to take you in."

Farran took a deep breath to calm himself, then nodded, "You're right… But you're this suppressed side of me, right? Why grill me on all this, then switch to being supportive?"

"You just answered your own questions. All I want is for you to accept me, that's all. I needed you to fully understand just what I am. No interruptions, no interference. I needed to break you down enough that you could fully understand me. Now that you do, I can't run the risk of you rejecting me, or giving up. If you die here, that's the end of me too, now isn't it. And…" Shadow Farran gestured to Ruby, "If you die, she dies right alongside you. I can't let that happen. I am you after all. I want a lot of the same things you do, and letting someone innocent suffer after they took you in isn't something I can allow. Now, it's time to make your choice. Are you going to accept me? Are you willing to accept your past, even without any memory of it, as well as any consequences that might come because of it?"

Farran sat for a moment, lost in thought, then looked at his Shadow with a cocky grin, "Of course I will. No matter what my past is, I'd rather deal with it later, than do nothing and let Cardin and Richards have their way. No matter what, I'm not going to let it control me!"

He blinked, and time started up again, Shadow Cardin smugly striding over to him. Farran looked around, but there was no longer any sign of his own Shadow anywhere. Cardin began talking again, but his words were drowned out by a booming voice in his head.  _Very well. I will grant you the power to pursue your goals. Now, let us forge a contract. I am thou… Thou art I… From the sea of thy soul I cometh. I will walk beside you as you make your path for your new life. Allow me, who shares with you the pain of an unjust death, to clear the way towards your own justice!_

Shadow Cardin stopped, grinning at Farran, "Any last words? Anything you want to say to this poor girl before I have my fun?"

"Enough!" His voice was punctuated by a shockwave, eviscerating the Shadows holding him, and sending Shadow Cardin flying across the room. The two holding Viola let her go, running over to defend Shadow Cardin. Farran looked down to see his wrists bound by ethereal manacles, "I have had to stand here and listen to you talk about how you can do whatever you please. Not anymore. You, and all those like you who choose to take advantage of those who can't fight back… you will all fall by my hand. That is the justice I choose to follow with my new life! So I hope you're ready… because every bit of torment you have ever given… I'm about to punish you with tenfold! Clear my path! ABEL!"

Farran raised his arms above his head, before snapping them apart to his sides. The chains binding his wrists shattered, releasing another shockwave across the room. A blue light appeared in front of him, summoning forth a towering, spectral figure clad in silver plate armor, long black hair not unlike Shadow Farran's hanging down its back, and a spear of gold in hand. Farran motioned at the guard shadow to the left, and Abel immediately charged it, goring it through the middle and causing it to evaporate. Before the next shadow could make a move, a single word came to the forefront of his mind:  _Frei!_  No sooner than he had processed the word, Abel raised his spear above his head, causing an orb of blue energy to explode from the chest of the remaining guard.  _And then there was one..._

Farran stepped towards Shadow Cardin, grinning and shrugging, "Well, looks like you're all alone, pal. Any last words before I have my fun?"

"How dare you?" Shadow Cardin staggered to his feet, "I am Cardin Winchester, the latest in a lineage of heroes and nobles. You have no right to look down on me… Everything I want is mine by birthright!" He reared back and howled, "I won't let you get in the way of my destiny!"

As he screamed, his body began to contort and disfigure, becoming enveloped in thick, inky shadows. Even his voice became significantly more warped, dropping low to the point that it resembled more of a roar of some disfigured beast. As the mass of shadows grew, Viola charged over to Ruby from where she had been standing, helping her to her feet and pulling her to the relative safety of the cell. Farran took a few steps back as the shadows expanded nearly to the ceiling, before falling to reveal Shadow Cardin's transfigured form. What had once been almost a copy of the real Cardin, was now a giant wooden marionette, garbed in royal looking clothes and crown, its face covered by a comedy mask. In his left hand, he held a giant version of Farran's sword, and in his right, a mace not unlike the one the real Cardin wielded. The marionette's crossbar was supported by the right of two floating, disembodied hands, making it move. After a few seconds, the left hand hit the right, taking control of the crossbar, and causing the whole figure to change appearance. The comedy mask switched to a tragedy mask, and the regal clothes became those of a court jester, with even the crown drooping to become a matching cap. The two hands continued to bicker for control of the crossbar, Shadow Cardin changing form every time they did so.

Royal Cardin raised Farran's sword above its head, "The Winchester's are one of Vale's most prestigious families! I will not let you dishonor my family's name!"

Jester Cardin drooped low, "Not that I don't do a good enough job of that on my own…"

"Farran, can you hear me?" He could hear Viola's voice, as if she were right next to him, "Ruby and I are safe, but you need to get ready for a fight."

"What am I looking at here, Viola?" Farran shook his head in disbelief, "This thing is… What the hell is it?"

"That is definitely that boy's Shadow. It's rare, but sometimes when a human has their desires affected or fueled by someone else whose Shadow has a Palace, theirs will take shelter in it. Now, whenever someone's Shadow becomes threatened, they'll transform into a much stronger form. Think of it as a defense mechanism to protect their desires. If we're going to get out of here, you need to take that thing down!"

"Heh, leave it to me!" He got in a stance, readying himself for combat, "Let's take him out, Abel!"

Before Farran could make a move, Shadow Cardin swung his mace down at him. Farran rolled out of the way, allowing the attack to smash a hole in the floor. The marionette busy pulling its weapon from the ground, he summoned Abel, and the giant warrior charging and striking the Shadow in the chest with his spear. While the attack struck its mark, Farran could tell it hardly damaged his foe. In retaliation, Shadow Cardin freed its mace, swinging it sideways and forcing Farran to dodge, before bringing the sword down at him. The blade landed next to him, but the force of the blow threw him off to the side. He summoned Abel again, launching a spell, nuclear energy exploding from Shadow Cardin's chest, but he ultimately shrugged it off. The Shadow reared back for another attack, but Farran ordered Abel to charge, once again striking it in the chest to little effect. He tried to unleash another nuclear blast, but Shadow Cardin was too fast, swinging its mace and knocking Farran across the room. He forced himself back to his feet, struggling to stay standing. His bad knee felt like it was on fire, and his lungs weren't doing much better.

"Damn it…" He cursed through gritted teeth, "Viola, what am I not getting here? I'm hitting the damn thing with everything I have, but it's not doing anything!"

"Hold on…" He could see a light shine around the Shadow for a second before Viola spoke again, "Shoot. It looks like this one's only week to fire… Your Persona only has nuclear attacks, right?

"As far as I can tell… If only that bastard didn't have my sword, I could hit it with fire dust. Wait…" He looked up, and felt a spark of inspiration, "Hey Viola. My sword is being affected by his distortions, yea? What would happen if he dropped it?"

"Dropped it? Well, it would go back to normal once it was away from the distortions. But how..?" She followed his eyes, up to the Puppet's crossbar, "Oh, I get it! He can't keep hold of it without those hands controlling him! And from what I can tell… Yes, they're weak to nuclear! Take those hands out and you'll be able to win this!"

Farran nodded, readying himself again. The Shadow charged, looking to put an end to its foe, but Farran was ready for it. Just as it got into striking distance, he summoned Abel, the Persona bringing his spear up and piercing the hand on the crossbar. The Shadow jerked back in pain and surprise, but Abel didn't let up, landing three more strikes on the hand before it was finally destroyed. The other hand rushed to catch the bar before the marionette could fall, only for another of Farran's spells to explode from its side. Abel swung his spear, slamming it into the hand, and launching it across the room, where it slammed into the wall and dissolved. The marionette plunged, crashing to the floor. The force of its landing knocked Farran's sword from its hand, the blade spinning across the floor while the Shadow's distortion was dispelled, returning it to normal. Farran rushed to it, grabbing it by the hilt and switching it to its crossbow mode. He looked up at the puppet, but with the hands no longer holding it up, it just sat there uselessly in Jester form. He spun the dust chamber, and aimed at the Shadow's face. A ball of fire launched from the crossbow, crashing into its face and exploding, setting it alight. As the Shadow burned, it fell back, releasing a piercing scream. Farran looked down at it, summoning Abel one last time, the Persona bringing its spear down through the Puppet's chest. The marionette's form melted away around the spear, leaving behind Shadow Cardin's true form, laying in front of Farran.

Shadow Cardin pulled himself up to his knees and pleaded with Farran, "Please man, stop! I give, I give! Just don't kill me!"

Farran stepped up to him, raising his blade, but Viola ran over and grabbed his arm to stop him, "No, Farran, stop! You can't destroy his Shadow. If you do, the real one will die!"

He lowered his sword, and tilted his head, "Die? What do you mean? Igor told me I had to kill these things and-"

"My Master said to defeat them, not kill them! Their stronger forms are a defense mechanism, the last and strongest hold the distortions hold over a person's desires. Once you defeat it, you dispel the distortions, and that person is able to see clearly again. But if you destroy their Shadow, you will effectively get rid of their desires completely! Without desires, a human won't feel the need to eat or drink or do anything. They'll become a husk of themselves. Without proper care, they'll most likely die."

"Alright, I see your point…"

Shadow Cardin grabbed his hand, "Oh, thank you, man! Thank you!"

"Yea, whatever. Let go of me." Farran pulled his hand away, glaring at the Shadow, "I'm not a murderer, but don't think that makes us cool. You're still an asshole, you still bullied a girl that wouldn't stand up for herself, and you still smashed my face in for stopping you."

"Well, what do you want me to do?! That's the only way I know how to act…" He looked down, dejected, "Everyone in my family's been Huntsmen or military going back to the Great War. When I was a kid, my older brothers would always beat me up. I'd complain to my parents, but they only ever told me to stand up for myself. Hell, my old man even told me once, 'If you're not strong enough to protect yourself, you don't deserve the Winchester name.' All of my brothers were at least five years older than me, so you can imagine how that went. I just learned from them that in this world, the strong abuse the weak, and that's all there is to it. Having Richards there to cover for me only made it worse, cause now I'm strong, and nobody could get in my way without him dealing with them. Thing is, I know Velvet's strong. Way stronger than me. But she's so freaking timid that she won't do anything. Giving her hell was an easy way to feel better, especially after we lost to you guys in class. Then when you stood up to me… it just threw everything out the window. Here's this kid that can't even fight in combat practice, and he still manages to knock me on my ass. You know what happened after that. So, yea. I know I'm a jackass, but that's all I know how to be…"

"I see…" Farran sighed, "Alright, this is what you're going to do. You are going to go back to the real you. You're gonna make sure he stops with all this shit. You're going to make him apologize to Velvet. You're going to make damn sure he leaves her, me, and everyone else that he's been picking on alone. And you're going to make sure he gets away from Richards and this Diamond Dust crap. Understand?"

"Yea, man. I understand. Thanks." Shadow Cardin's body started to glow with a warm light.

"Good. Cause if he doesn't," Farran gave him a cocky grin, "I'm gonna have to come back here and kick your ass again!"

"Ha! Good luck. I'm not so easy to beat. Whether it be in here, or in class, I'm gonna win that rematch." He was enveloped in the light, and in a flash, he disappeared.

Farran smiled, then collapsed to his knees in pain, "Oh Gods, my everything."

Viola, who had rushed over to him with Ruby, helped him back to his feet, "Not bad, for a beginner. We'll make an acceptable Wild Card user out of you yet. Of course we need to get out of here first."

"Acceptable? Did you miss the part where I took that thing down on my own?" He stumbled a few steps forward before he almost toppled over, Ruby and Viola racing over and sliding under his arms to support him, "By the way, not that I didn't appreciate the support, but can't you fight? Igor said he sent you here to protect Ruby."

She looked down, "No… Elizabeth and Margaret and… Well, the other Velvet Room attendees I should say, since you haven't met them, they can all use the Compendium to summon Personas like you just did. I've never been able to use it so far…"

"So then why exactly did he send you out here?!"

"Hey, I might not be able to fight, but I'm not useless. As you saw, I can scan Shadows for weaknesses. Plus, I have a Semblance. I can create mirages! When I got here, I made it look like the surrounding hallways weren't there, sending the guards down a maze to nowhere." She sounded smug, but then shook her head, "Besides, we're not talking about me! That false bravado is going to get you killed. That thing was nothing compared to the ruler of this Palace. If you take it on without getting any stronger, you're done for. But that's for another day, I guess. Ruby, can you manage on his other side?"

She nodded, and together the three of them traversed the winding, empty corridors of the Palace. When Viola had mentioned that she turned the place into a maze, she was completely serious. Farran noticed that even without the walls that she had conjured up, if it hadn't been for her navigating them, there was no way he would have found where he was going alone. Each hallway was connected to countless others, all leading deeper into the labyrinth. Every so often, they would pass doors which opened to stairwells, all of which unfortunately led to upper floors, and, as far as Viola had told them at least, this was the highest floor the elevator they needed to escape went to.

As they walked, Viola decided to fill in the other two as to exactly what this world was, and what was going on since Ruby, who had been left in the dark for the most part, was completely lost, and Farran, who had received a small amount of information from Igor, was not much better off. She explained that the world they were in right now was called the Metaverse. Essentially, it was a world existing aside Remnant inside the hearts of people, which was controlled by the thoughts and feelings of all human and Faunus-kind. The guards they had been fighting against were called Shadows, which were the parts of the people's minds that they try to keep hidden. Anything from fears to weaknesses to feelings they deemed unacceptable would take physical forms in this world. In the case of Cardin's Shadow, and the Shadow of Richards that ruled this palace, they were created as their hidden desires had warped how they saw the world. Since Cardin's desire for power had been enabled by Richards, his Shadow took refuge in Shadow Richards' Palace.

Conversely, the being that Farran had summoned to fight Shadow Cardin was called a Persona. Personas were considered equal, yet opposite, beings to Shadows, in that they were what people feel they can show to those around them. When a person enters this cognitive world, they will often come face to face with their Shadows. By accepting their Shadow, it means that they accept whatever part of themselves they had chosen to hide. Therefore, instead of allowing their Shadow to control them, they instead are able to control their Shadow as a Persona.

"Wow, Farran! You went up against something like that?" Ruby looked up at him with stars in her eyes, "That's so cool! I wonder if I can get a Persona."

He looked away, bashfully, "It's not all that impressive. Just means not knowing my past was affecting me more than I wanted to admit. And no offense, Ruby, I know I haven't known you all that long, but you don't strike me as the type of person that can even have a Shadow. You seem like you're pretty open about everything."

"That's not true! There's plenty of stuff I don't tell people about…" She pouted.

"What, that you really don't love cookies after all?"

Viola elbowed him in the stomach, "It's no laughing matter, you know. Even the happiest person has things they're ashamed of, and once you cross over to this world, they get all the more serious. Now, the elevator should be just down this way…"

Viola continued guiding them through the Palace, until their way became blocked at the end of a particularly long hallway. A thick, sliding steel door stood in their way, containing a small porthole that allowed them to look into the room beyond it. The room branched off into two other corridors taking up the wall to the right, and the wall opposite of them. The leftmost wall was curved, entirely made of windows overlooking the purple smog from the factory below. While the door presented its own problems, even if they could manage to get it open, the room was teeming with guard Shadows, all blocking their path. With no real way forward, the group resolved to double back and try to find another way to the elevator. However, before they were able to take more than a few steps, a number of Shadows materialized in front of them. To make matters worse, the door that had blocked them in opened up, and the Shadows that had occupied the room came through, circling them. Farran freed himself from Viola and Ruby's support and drew his sword, barely able to stand on his own. He spun around the best he could, watching for the first Shadow that would make an attack, but none came. Instead, the group that had just entered from the room stepped to the side, allowing passage to a portly man in a fancy suit, golden sunglasses resting on his frog-like face. Shadow Richards stood there, grinning maliciously, as he pulled off his glasses to reveal his bright yellow eyes.

"So it seems you managed to take out Winchester. Congratulations boy, that is surely no small feat." He pocketed his glasses before scowling, "But don't get too full of yourself yet. I sent my weakest guards to get you earlier, thinking they could handle a weakling like you. That's not a mistake I'll be making again."

"You're not gonna get the chance to." Farran sneered back at him, "We're getting out of here, and I'm gonna stop you, even if I have to go right to Ozpin to do it."

"Hmph. Ozpin? Kid, you're either really naïve or really stupid if you think Ozpin has a damn say about what goes on at that school. I run Beacon, I have ever since the last Security Chief left. See, Ozpin never wanted me to take over, even tried to fire me once. The fool didn't realize just how well connected I am. I'm with the Vale branch of the Atlesian Mafia, you see. I have connections all over the place. Turns out, Ozpin has secrets, world changing ones at that. All it took was one word, and I've been running the place since."

"The Mafia?" Farran couldn't believe what he was hearing, "The hell do a bunch of gangsters want with Beacon?"

Shadow Richards laughed, "Who do you think our top customers are? Everyone has a vice, kid. Something they need to get 'em through a shit day. Drugs, gambling, sex, you name it, we got it. For a price, of course. You Huntsmen are gone on missions for long periods of time, you gotta have something to unwind. Hell, how often do you think you guys work injured? Especially you, kid, running around with cracked ribs and a bum knee. Yea, I saw your injury report. How do you think Winchester knew to target your ribs? Just a tiny pinch of Diamond Dust, and all that pain just goes right away. You feel like you're on top of the world! As for Beacon, you start 'em young enough, by the time they hit the field, they can't stand going a day without our services. Plus, with all these idiot kids from rich families running around, they do all the work for me, while I sit back and profit, never having to touch the product. Can't go making evidence against me, after all. All I gotta do is let them bend the rule as they please, and their parents are even kind enough to throw some 'donations' my way for the trouble."

"What about Velvet?!" Ruby looked at him alarmed, "You have what you want, so why are you going to torture her to work for you?!"

"Ha! I don't know how you found out about that, kid. You're right. I do have plans for that timid, little Beast. I don't know what people see in those animals, but people are far more comfortable buying from a cute Faunus girl than some gangster. Besides, do you know how rare it is to find someone who is so timid, they'll do practically whatever you tell them to for little to no pay? Once I threaten her with expulsion for possession of the drugs I'll plant in her locker, a dimwit beast like that will be begging for me to look the other way. All I gotta do is convince her to make a few runs for me so I don't report her, and the rest will take care of itself. She's gonna make a fine mule for us for a few years, and when she breaks, we'll cut her loose."

"You piece of shit!" Farran spat at him, "You're the animal here! How can you talk about some innocent girl like that?!"

"Whatever kid." Shadow Richards looked at him, annoyed, "Rich humans are the only ones that matter. The rest of you are all Grimm fodder. Meat shields to keep them away from the elite like me. Except for you, Park. You're going to be target practice for my guards until you die here like the failure you are!"

"There is no way in hell I'm gonna die to the likes of you… Come to me, Persona!"

As Farran summoned Abel, the guards around them started to shift and transform. The Shadows that had appeared in front of them all changed into floating jack-o'-lanterns in capes, each holding their own oil lanterns. On their other side, the guards transformed into sentient piles of green slime. Rather, all save for one, who turned into a knight in steel armor wielding a trident, its horse a blood red. While the guards were transforming, Shadow Richards stepped back into the room, a sadistic grin on his face. Abel charged, slicing through one of the Slimes, but it was far from enough. No sooner than the strike landed, the Shadows started to launch attacks in unison. Orbs of fire and dark energy peppered him from all sides, as Viola grabbed Ruby and dragged her over to the wall to avoid the crossfire. Farran did his best to fight back, slowly thinning the crowd of Shadows, but the sheer numbers proved to be too much. He tried to summon Abel one more time, but found he didn't have the strength to do so. He staggered, trying to stay on his feet, his mind slowly fading


	4. On Death's Wings

Without Crescent Rose, Ruby had little choice but to stand with Viola out of the line of fire, praying for a miracle that would help them get away. As she stood and watched her new teammate getting pelted with magic, she started feeling weak, and she hated it. Part of the reason she became a Huntress in the first place was so that she could always be there for people in need, yet here she stood, looking onwards as her teammate, and only hope of escape, was dying on his feet. She closed her eyes tight, not wanting to watch what happened to Farran, the sound of the Shadows' attacks flying by her filling her mind. Until, out of nowhere, all the noise stopped. Ruby opened her eyes to see that everything around her was completely still. The spells the Shadows were launching frozen in midair, Farran stopped in the middle of regaining his balance, Viola motionlessly staring on. Only now, she could see there was a small girl in a black dress and funeral vale, kneeling on the ground and sobbing, right in the middle of the crossfire.

"H-Hey!" Ruby called to the girl, "Little girl, you have to get up! It's not safe, you need to get out of here!"

"I can't…" She cried, "I can't do anything… He's going to die, and it's all my fault… because I'm so useless…"

"Nobody is going to die! Come on, you need to get up!" Ruby tried to run to her, but found herself frozen to the spot.

"No… He is going to die… It's all my fault, and there's nothing I can do about it… Isn't that right, Me?" The little girl started to giggle.

The little girl lifted her vale and turned to Ruby, filling her with terror. Despite the girl being no more than five or six years old, the girl very clearly had Ruby's face. The only difference being that her normally silver eyes were a bright yellow. Shadow Ruby clambered to her feet, and stalked up to her, continuing to giggle as she did so. She reached out and grabbed Ruby's hand, mockingly giving it a reassuring pat.

"There, there… It's all going to be ok." Shadow Ruby's voice started to become as warped as the other Shadows they had seen, "Everything is going to stop soon enough, and you'll be with Mom again!"

Ruby covered her ears with shaking hands, "No! Don't talk about her! I don't want to think about it…"

"Aww, what's the matter? Don't you remember?" Shadow Ruby continued unperturbed, "Weren't you about this age when she died? You know, when she went out that one night and promised she'd come back to you… But you never saw her again, did you? No, when she  _did_  come back, it was in a body bag, and they buried her the next day. She died, and there was nothing you could do about it, cause you were just a useless little child."

"Stop it! That's enough… I don't…" Ruby fell to her knees in tears.

"Not much has changed, has it Ruby? Oh sure, you're all grown up now! You're a big, strong Huntress and you're the leader of a team, all at the tender age of fifteen no less." Shadow Ruby frowned, "You still haven't told Farran, have you? That you weren't the one who saved him?"

"Shut up… Don't talk about things you don't know about!"

"Oh, I know all about it, Ruby. I know exactly what happened. You saw someone had fallen over and, being the good girl you are, went over to help them up. But then you saw the blood, didn't you? His knee bent at that angle… And he wasn't even breathing. So what does our precious, little team leader do? Does she call an ambulance? No. Like the child you are, your mind broke down one you collapsed. If you didn't end up screaming, nobody else would have found him, and he would have died there, right in front of your eyes."

"No… No!" Ruby shouted, almost pleading.

"And what about now, Ruby? What did you do when Richards told what he was going to do to him? To you? You didn't fight or try to get free. You panicked and did everything you could to wake Farran up, so that he could save you, since you were too scared to do anything else. Look at him now! That boy is about to  _die_ for you, and you're sitting over here on the sidelines like a coward, waiting for it to happen so Richards can swoop right in here and kill you too, or worse."

"But there's nothing I can do! I am just a useless kid, what can I do about it?"

"You can fight." Ruby looked up at her. Before, Shadow Ruby's face had been malicious, almost sadistic, but now her eyes burned with determination, "Isn't that what you've been training to do?"

"But without Crescent Rose-"

"There's something else you can do, and you know it." Shadow Ruby's voice was sharp, "Farran already faced his Shadow, didn't he? What's stopping you from doing the same? Is there something special about him? Or are you just that much weaker than him?"

"No! I just…" Ruby couldn't even think of a reason.

"Then accept me. Stop torturing yourself over Mom's death! There was nothing you, or anyone could have done about it. You know how she got when her mind was set on something. You need to stop running and accept it, otherwise. Even if you somehow got out of this today without accepting me, this is still something that's going to cause problems later. You can't lead a team like that! So, what do you say?"

It took Ruby a minute to calm down and dry her tears, but when she did, she looked up at her Shadow with a fire in her eyes, "You're right, I am afraid of death. Mom… She was my everything. The way I felt that day, I've done everything to avoid that feeling ever since. But I'm done running. If I freeze up at the first threat of someone dying, I don't deserve to be called a leader. So let's do this. Come to me!"

Shadow Ruby nodded, smiling. Her body became enveloped in the same light that had covered Shadow Cardin earlier. Slowly, her Shadow started to disappear, turning into a small orb of blue light which disappeared into her chest. At the same time, she heard a booming voice that sounded familiar, yet she was sure she hadn't heard it in quite some time, started ringing in her mind, the sure volume causing her hands to fly to her head in pain.  _Well done. I was starting to wonder if you would ever stop running. In that case, how about the two of us form a contract? I am thou… Thou art I… I will guide you from now on, as a mother always should._   _Never again forget that death is nothing you need to fear. Instead, take Death's power as your own, and together we will guide these mindless abominations to the ruin they would inflict on others!_

* * *

Farran collapsed to his knees, his body finally giving out on him. He ached all over, and the smell of smoke filled his lungs every time he took a breath. He tried one last time to summon his Persona, trying anything to fight back, but he didn't even have the strength to materialize the chains used to summon it, and even trying caused a burning pain to start in his head. He tried to force himself back to his feet, but his muscles rebelled against his commands, completely spent by this point. His mind raced, trying to come up with any kind of idea to get them out of this mess safe, but nothing came to him. The Shadows were already preparing one last salvo, and Farran closed his eyes, preparing for the end.

That was when he heard Ruby yell, "Stop!"

Much to his surprise, when he opened his eyes again, the Shadows had actually listened. He turned to look at her, for the first time realizing she had collapsed as well. Ruby staggered back to her feet, her hands bound in ghostly manacles much like his. Her eyes were filled with fire, as she forced herself up, taking a few tentative steps towards him.

"I'm not going to just sit here and watch you die, Farran" Ruby gritted her teeth, "I'm done being afraid. I became a Huntress to help innocent people. How can I say that's what I'm doing if I'm too scared to stop a jerk like Richards from doing whatever he wants?" A vindictive smirk flashed across her lips, "So, how about I act like the team leader I am, and save your dumb butt from these Shadows? Come forth, Persona!"

Ruby stopped and took a deep breath. Just as she had seen Farran do earlier, she threw her arms open wide, the chains binding them shattering. A gale of wind whipped through the room, effortlessly slamming the Shadows up against the wall, and tossing Shadow Richards unceremoniously back into the other room. A ring of light appeared in front of her, as a giant wolf rose from the center, a blood red scythe resting in its mouth. An immaculate white cape, much like Ruby's red one, hung around its neck. The wolf reared back and howled, causing a green light to surround Farran, and as it did so, he could feel the pain from the various injuries he'd sustained all but disappear.

"Awesome!" The glow from the light glinted in Ruby's eyes, "Let's take 'em down. Let's go, Lupa!"

The wolf charged the Slimes, effortlessly felling three with a single slash of its scythe. It reared back and howled again, filling the room with another blast of wind, blowing the Shadows further down the hall, and even taking a few more of them out. Taking advantage of Ruby's newfound power, Viola rushed over to Farran, helping him back to his feet. Ruby continued sending Lupa down to attack the Shadows she had knocked down, but unbeknownst to her, the knight Shadow hadn't gone with them. It charged her, readying its trident to skewer her through the spine, but was met by charging Abel. The combination of Ruby's new power and a now healed Farran made short work of the remaining Shadows, leaving only the knight behind.

"You insolent brats…" It grunted, desperately clinging to the reigns of its horse, "How dare you defy the might of our glorious Boss Richards? You will pay for your foolishness."

"Glorious? He's just some creep who takes advantage of people who can't fight back. We're going to take him down, and you… You're going down with him!" To emphasize her point, Ruby pointed at the Shadow, sicking Lupa on it. The Persona charged it down, leaping and decapitating it with its scythe. The guards taken care of, Ruby and Farran, who was being helped along by Viola, strode into the room to confront Shadow Richards. Said Shadow was busy cowering behind an upended table for protection. Ruby looked down at him with a predatory smile almost more befitting her Persona, "What's the matter, Richards? You afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?"

"You bitch… You two are going to pay, you hear me? Nobody messes with me!" The Shadow stumbled to his feet, and ran as fast as he could down the hallway to their right, "Guards! Guards! Come take care of this!"

Before the group could pursue him, the entrances to all three corridors were blocked off by the sliding iron door, sealing them in. Farran summoned Abel, hoping the Persona would be strong enough to move the doors, but to no avail.

"Well, I'm out of ideas. You guys got anything?" He looked back to Viola and Ruby.

Viola shrugged, "Well, I don't know if you two can handle another fight, but we're probably going to have to just wait here and fight our way out."

"And we can't just use the app to get out from here?"

She shook her head, "Unfortunately, it only works outside the range of a Palace's distortions, so pretty much where you came in. The Palace ruler has almost complete control over what happens inside here, so since he doesn't want you to be able to leave, you can't. But over where the distortions are weakest, he isn't able to stop us."

Farran stumbled over to the outside wall, leaning up against the windows and looking outside. Purple smog from the factory below stretched endlessly onwards, blocking out the view of the landscape.  _There has to be another way out of here… Even after Ruby healed me, I don't think I can go another round, plus there'll be more of them this time. If only we had an airship or something, we could fly..._ Farran's head started throbbing at the thought of flying, and he brought his hand up to his forehead. A fragment of a memory began forcing its way forward from the very back of his mind. He was standing at the edge of a rooftop, on a building he was fairly certain he hadn't seen before. He remembered feeling happy, excited even, as he pushed off and leapt from the building. He was falling, then there was a bright light behind him, and his momentum leveled out as he stopped falling and started gliding. His eyes flew open, his breath rapid, a feeling of anxiety mixed with excitement building in his chest.  _There's no way… Is there?_ Farran took a few steps away from the window, pulling out his crossbow. He turned, aiming at the wall of windows, and let loose a shot of lightning dust, smashing the glass open.

Ruby tilted her head, "Farran, what are you doing?"

"Just making us a way out. That's all." He smiled wide.

Viola pinched the bridge of his nose, "You can't be serious. Farran, there's no amount of aura or training that could keep you from dying from that kind of fall. Well, dying again in your case."

"Please don't remind me… Look, I just figured something out. You know how I can't remember my Semblance? Well, I think I might know what it is. Watch…"

Farran took a deep breath, closing his eyes. He started flaring his aura, concentrating on pushing it to two small pinpricks on his back between his shoulder blades. He pushed, trying to force the energy through those two spots and into the room. After a few seconds, he heard the two girls gasp, and opened his eyes, seeing that same bright light glowing from behind him. When it faded, he craned his head around to see one of two enormous bird's wings that looked as if they were made of pure silver now connected to his back. He instinctively tried moving them, and the wings bent and flapped at his command.

"This answers so many questions…" He laughed, "But brings up so many others."

"Are you telling me you've been able to fly this whole time?" Viola barked indignantly.

"Hey, you try falling off a building, see how well you can remember things. Anyway, Ruby." He tossed his scroll back to her, "The second we land, you need to hit that button and get us out of here!"

"Got it!"

An alarm started blaring in the room, no doubt signaling that guards would soon be arriving. Farran motioned for the girls to hurry in front of him, wrapping his arms around them as they did so, "Ladies and Gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. We will soon be departing on a non-stop flight to  _anywhere but here_. Please hold on tight, and I apologize for any turbulence, this is my first flight in quite some time."

The doors around them started to slide open as Farran flapped his wings, kicking off from the ground and flying out the window. Shadows flooded the room, but couldn't do much more than watch as their prisoners took to the skies. Farran looked behind them, checking to see if he needed to dodge any attacks, when he finally saw the Palace in full for the first time. The area they were fleeing from was shaped like a disk, about three stories tall, that supported the real Palace: a gargantuan mansion that appeared to be made of solid gold.  _This guy has to be compensating for something…_  Farran took a deep breath, holding it in, before quickly diving into and through the smog below. Even with his efforts to hold his breath, he could smell the stench of the smog, like rotting eggs and burnt hair. It caused his eyes to burn and water, almost making it impossible to fly straight. Mercifully, they managed their way through the purple cloud, once again seeing the courtyard, and steadily approaching their destination. He slowed their descent, coming to a soft landing on the patch of grass they had first stood on when they came to this world, and Farran dispelled his Semblance. The second their feet touched the ground, Ruby slammed the button on Farran's scroll, activating the app, and causing the bright blue light to start up again. Within seconds, they could feel the Metaverse fall away from them.

* * *

The blue light faded away, allowing the group to get a good look at their surroundings once more. The walls of the alleyway they had been in before had reappeared around them, and the sky that had been red and orange when they left, was now an inky black. As if to confirm their suspicions, a robotic voice called out from Farran's scroll, "You have now returned to the real world. Thank you for your hard work today." They were finally back home. Farran let go of his hold on the two girls, collapsing to the ground in a fit of relieved laughter. Ruby looked confused for a second, before joining him nonetheless.

Viola looked at them exasperated, "You two really are care free, aren't you?"

"Look, I don't want to hear it right now." Farran wiped tears from his eyes, smile still plastered on his face, "I don't know if you noticed, but the two of us almost died a little bit ago. I'd say all three of us, but I don't know how things work for you Velvet Room guys."

Just then, Ruby's scroll starting ringing repeatedly. She flipped it open and grimaced, "Uh-oh. I wouldn't be saying that just yet, Farran… We're in big trouble. Weiss, Yang, and Blake are freaking out! I guess we did disappear for quite a while…"

"Oh shit…" His eyes shot open, realizing her point, "Couldn't you just tell them you took me to the infirmary? That should calm them down a bit, right?"

Ruby started hurriedly typing a message on her scroll. From her reaction, the response wasn't good. Viola walked to the back of the alleyway, raising her hand and causing a blue door to appear, "I must return to my Master. I wish you luck in surviving you're the wrath of your teammates, our dear guest."

"Hold up. When am I going to be able to talk to Igor again? I need to know what I'm supposed to do about that world. He told me I need to defeat the Palace ruler, but I need to make sure I understand exactly how to go about doing that. Don't want a repeat of today's misadventures, really."

"Unfortunately, it is difficult to say. I don't believe tonight will be a possibility, due to how the Metaverse effects the human body. It is not a place humans are normally able to go, and for good reason, as spending an extended amount of time there will sap your strength and leave you feeling fatigued. You will most likely sleep too deeply tonight for us to be able to summon you. Also, we will most likely need to let you finish healing from your current injuries, so you do not return there before you are physically ready. Needless to say, however, we will be in touch again rather soon. Now, I really must be going. Rest well, dear guest. And you as well, Ruby."

With that, Viola walked through the door, which disappeared behind her, leaving Farran and Ruby alone in the alleyway. He hadn't noticed beforehand, but now that Viola had brought it up, he suddenly felt exhausted. If it weren't for the impending threat of the rest of his team, who most likely would only end up in a worse mood if they returned any later, Farran would have fallen asleep right there in the alley. He forced himself back to his feet, stretching his back until he heard an audible crack. He started walking with the intent of going back to the dorm, but was stopped by Ruby grabbing his wrist.

"Hey Farran…" She started, nervously, "I know we need to go back, but if it's alright, I need to talk with you for a second."

"Sure, Ruby. What's on your mind?" He leaned up against one of the walls.

"Well, it's just… I really need to tell you something… about the day I found you…" Her voice became hushed, "After you fell…"

"What about it?"

"Well… The thing is… I'm not really the one that saved your life. I know Ozpin told you I did, but it's not true."

"…What are you talking about?"

"Well… When I found you, I was just on my way to go shopping. I overheard a group of people talking about some cool weapons part shop in town, and I wanted to see if there was anything I could use to upgrade Crescent Rose. When I was passing that alleyway, I saw a really cute blue butterfly fly past me. I watched it go by, and that's when I saw you… knocked out on the ground… I couldn't see all of you, since you were behind a dumpster. I figured you'd just passed out, but I decided to check on you, and make sure you were ok… But when I saw you… The blood… your… leg… Oh Gods…" She fell to her knees.

"Hey, Ruby…" Farran sat down next to her, wrapping his arm around her shoulder to comfort her, "Just calm down, ok? Don't push yourself. I can't imagine it's easy for you."

"I'm sorry… I'm trying to get better with dealing with it, but…" She shook her head, "Anyway, I haven't really been able to handle the idea of death since I was a kid. When I was five, my mom went out on a mission, she was a Huntress too, and promised me she'd be back soon. That was the last time I saw her… So, yea… The idea of people dying has always been a problem for me. So when I saw… you… I just kind of collapsed. I couldn't think straight, I couldn't do anything. I guess I ended up screaming, which got people's attention. They're the ones who called for an ambulance. So… if it hadn't been for that, I would've been useless and watched you… Yea. So, I can't really take the credit for saving you."

Farran sat there for a minute, taking in everything she just said. While he wasn't too surprised to hear about how she reacted, after Yang had already told him about Ruby struggling with her mom's death, it was still a lot to take in that one of the first things he had learned when he woke up wasn't entirely true. Even more so, he wasn't entirely sure how he should respond to her. Even if Ozpin saw her fit to be the leader of their team, she was still just a kid, and she was dealing with some rather serious issues, even before this mess of a day started. He didn't want to say anything wrong, and end up hurting her even more. After a minute, he made up his mind.

Farran reached up and ruffled Ruby's hair, "So, what you're telling me is… you  _are_  the one who saved me after all?"

She shoved him off her, shock in her eyes, "W-What? No, Farran… I just said I didn't…"

"No, I'm pretty sure you did. Look, it might not be possible for me to completely know how you feel, but I do understand your situation. I really don't care if you had seen me, then turned to a group of people and said, 'Hey, some jerk passed out down there. One of you go check on him, I can't be bothered.' However it was that you did it, you still brought attention to the fact that I needed help. Meaning, no matter what, you  _did_  save me. Plus, even if you don't want to count that, don't think I forgot about today. I was all kinds of screwed until you turned into a one woman army against those Shadows. I've been meaning to say it since before I met you, but thank you for saving my life, Ruby."

Ruby's eyes filled with tears, but she ended up smiling and giggling, "You're welcome, Farran. I guess you're right. Sorry for being so dramatic, it's just been a really long day.

"Don't worry, I know what you mean." Farran stood up, brushing himself off and helping Ruby back to her feet, "And really, the way I see it, you saved my life twice, not to mention bringing me into your team, so I owe you big time. So if you ever need anything, just let me know."

"Actually, there is something!" She seemed to perk up immediately, "I want to become a better leader. Not that I don't have confidence in myself, but it's kind of been me learning on the job so far. Plus, even though I've been getting better at it, or so I thought at least, my whole thing with people dying… I just don't want that to end up being a problem somewhere down the line when you all need me to be a leader. I don't know how I'd be able to handle it if I froze up on a mission because of it, and one of you ended up getting hurt. If there's anything you can do to help me, I'll consider us even. Deal?" She stuck out her hand.

"If that's what you want, I'll help you whenever you need me." He shook her hand, smiling.

The moment he took her hand, time seemed to freeze around him, just as it had when he had confronted his Shadow. Just then, he could hear a voice ring through his mind, a not unlike his Shadow's, yet it lacked its twisted nature.

" _I am thou, thou art I…_

_Thou hast acquired a new vow._

_It shall become a Beacon in the darkness_

_To lead you down the path to your own justice._

_With the birth of the Death Persona,_

_You have obtained unforeseen power_

_That will allow you to remake your Fate anew."_

As soon as the voice finished speaking, the feeling that time had frozen melted around him, and Ruby beamed up at Farran.

"Thanks Farran. I just knew it was a great idea to add you to the team when Professor Ozpin asked us. At least… As long as Weiss doesn't end up killing us both when we get back. Or Yang… or Blake… Yea, we should probably be getting back. Can you walk on your own?"

Farran nodded, "Yea. Actually, ever since you cast that healing spell on me, my ribs have felt good as new, and my knee is as good as it's gonna get too. Whatever that was worked wonders."

"I knew Lupa was awesome! If she can fix you back to normal, who knows what else she can do?" She started bouncing excitedly for a second, dragging him towards the dorm, but stopped and looked at him quizzically, "Hey, so what do we tell them? About that other world and everything?"

"Not sure." Farran paused, "I don't think talking about it tonight is a great idea. They're probably ballistic as it is, and I doubt something as ridiculous as that would go over well with them. Might be a good idea to just wait on it for a bit."

Ruby nodded, ant the two continued the long march back to the dorm, Farran falling back into thought as to what had happened in the alleyway.  _Bonds, huh? I wonder if that's what Igor had been talking about. So Ruby is… Death? I wonder what all that means. Igor said all of this connects to my power somehow. Guess it's just more stuff to ask him._ Farran looked ahead at Ruby, the small girl eagerly dragging him along. He felt honored that, even for something so personal, she had decided to show him a new side of herself. She trusted him enough to show him the frown that hid behind that near-omnipresent smile of hers.  _And if she trusts me that much, maybe I can trust her enough to…_  He shook his head. If he was going to say anything, it would have to be to the whole team, not just Ruby. After all, he needed to trust in all of them, just as Ozpin had said.  _Still, if little moments like that are going to be normal, maybe this new life will work out just fine in the end…_

* * *

"Absolutely unforgivable! The both of you!" Weiss chided.

 _Or not…_  Farran gulped. The second they had entered the dorm room, a rather incensed Weiss had stormed up to them, followed closely behind by a similarly seething Blake and Yang, all already dressed in their pajamas. Despite having nearly a foot on her in terms of height, Farran found himself feeling quite small under the gaze of the silver-haired girl, and from Ruby's reaction, she seemed to not be faring much better.

"Farran Park, do you have any idea just how long we all spent looking for you today?" She continued, the perfectly manicured nail of her index finger directly pointed at his face, "You disappeared with Professor Goodwitch at noon, and it's already half past ten! We knew she would let you go by the time afternoon classes started, but you didn't show up, and didn't even bother messaging us or leaving any sign you were ok. Naturally the four of us were scared to death that something might have happened to you. You already have two serious injuries, both of which were aggravated yesterday and today. Who's to say the damage you had taken, which you were warned to be careful about mind you, hadn't caused you to collapse somewhere on campus?"

"Yea!" Yang huffed, "Plus with you getting into a fight with that jackass today, we were worried that Richards would've tried to throw you out!"

"On top of all that, didn't you just get done telling us yesterday that someone had tried to, oh I don't know…  _murder you_?!" Blake's glare deepened, and Farran could swear he heard her growl, "Isn't that one of the reasons Ozpin brought you here?"

"And you!" Weiss turned on Ruby, who had tried to sneak away while their attention was on Farran, "Ruby Rose, what exactly was it that we all agreed on when we split up to search for him?"

Ruby froze, nervously tapping the ends of her index fingers together, "We, uh… We agreed to message the others if we found him?"

"Precisely. And yet, here we are, several hours later, and we just recently heard from you, after you decided you were going to disappear right along with him!" Weiss exploded on her, causing Ruby to shrink away, "You two better have a satisfactory excuse!"

"Everybody just calm down for a sec, ok?" Farran's attempt to diffuse the situation only netted him more glares, "Alright, I'm sorry. I get it, I should have messaged you or something, but today has been one hell of a day. See, I ran into Cardin again after Goodwitch let me out. Twice. I managed to get away from him the first time, but the second, he had his team with him, and they dragged me into an alley over by the lecture halls. He ended up wrecking me pretty bad, and I passed out. Ruby managed to find me, and she took me to the infirmary. The school doctor had me rest there, and they gave me some sort of medicine that helped patch me up while I napped."

Yang looked at him unconvinced, "So then why didn't either of you message us when she found you? Or when she took you to the infirmary."

"I was scared stiff!" Ruby chimed in, "It was almost like when I found him the first time… And when we got him there, the doctor told me to turn my scroll off so it didn't disturb him while he rested. I'm sorry…"

Weiss looked to Yang and Blake, receiving a nod from both, then sighed, "Fine, we believe you. Just… try to be more careful in the future, ok? We're content with having you on the team, Farran, but you need to realize that we're just that. A team. Your actions the past two days have put your health at serious risk, and caused the rest of us quite a bit of worry. Frankly, you should have come to us immediately after Cardin attacked you the first time."

"I know, and I'm sorry. It's just…" Farran's gaze dropped to the floor, "Some things were said today, that got me thinking… I just didn't want to cause any more trouble for you guys. It seems like that's all I've done since I got here…"

Yang raised an eyebrow, "And what were you thinking about? Like Weiss just said, we're a team. You can trust us with almost anything. Small stuff like this isn't going to get us to throw you out."

 _It's ok, man. Just trust them, like Ruby trusted you._ Farran steeled himself, "I'm just worried… What if it's not just small stuff? I know I said I'm not going to angst over my past, and I've been trying not to, but I just can't stop thinking about it. What if I did something horrible in the past? What if I'm some sort of criminal? My whole situation just screams suspicious to me, and I just don't want to bring all those problems to you guys. Especially when all I've done so far is give you guys extra stuff to worry about."

Farran looked up to the rest of the team. Ruby gave him a supportive smile and thumbs up, Blake looked as if she was trying to hide surprise, and Weiss looked away from him, a slight blush making its way to her cheeks. Yang, however, grinned smugly at Weiss, "Is that all? Come on, Farran. I thought it'd have to be something worse than that. How about it, Weiss? Don't you think it's about time you told him?"

"Silence, you oaf!" Weiss stamped her foot.

Farran furrowed his brow, "What's she talking about, Weiss?"

"Ah! Well, you see… It's just…" Weiss stammered, "Farran, I hate to admit it, but when Ozpin first proposed that you join us, I had… similar reservations to how you feel. So, with the information we were provided about you, I decided to do a search on one of my family's databases, looking if there were any signs of suspected criminals matching your description. For the record, everything came back clear. No one convicted or suspected of any kind of criminal conduct, in any of the four Kingdoms, were a match for you. I just didn't want to say anything, so you didn't think we didn't trust you."

"Hold on!" Yang stopped her, "I thought you said there was a match?"

Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose, "Fine. There was, as Yang said, one match to your facial structure: A dust smuggler. However, he was almost a foot shorter than you, his hair was a garish orange and purple, although a similar style to yours, and most importantly, he died in a shoot-out with the Mistral police thirty years ago! Needless to say, it wasn't you. Therefore, if there's no match for you in the database, and the Vale police weren't able to find anything, I'd say it's a safe bet that you are not a criminal."

"That's… great? I think? I mean, I'm glad to know that, but…" Farran desperately tried to find the right words, "How exactly does your family have a database like that? I'm not saying you're lying, but… Is your family connected to the police or something?"

Weiss tilted her head, amused, "Farran… Could it be… that you don't know about my family?"

"No, should I?"

"Weiss is the heiress of the Schnee Dust Company. They're Remnant's largest supplier of dust." Blake's voice was dry, as if she were reading from a textbook, "Her family name is everywhere nowadays."

"Oh, I remember now!" A thought came to his mind, "There was a billboard outside the hospital for them. I saw it when Ozpin brought me here the first day."

"It amazes me that you can remember the migration habits of Goliaths perfectly well after reading a textbook, and yet simple things like that seem so foreign to you." Weiss mused, "It's almost annoying how selective your memory is."

"Hey, you try living with it!" Farran groaned, "Maybe my past self was too concerned about learning about Grimm to bother with crap normal people care about. I don't know. But I'm sick of feeling like an idiot whenever this stuff comes up!"

Yang and Ruby burst out laughing at his indignation, soon followed by Blake, then Weiss, then Farran himself. The mood in the room seemed to diffuse considerably, and Farran was finally able to feel himself relaxing a bit. The knowledge that he had teammates that he could trust calmed him, and for the first time since his reawakening, even though he hadn't realized it until this point, he finally felt like he wasn't alone. Just as he got to that train of thought, he realized the room had frozen, and that familiar voice rang out in his head.

" _I am thou, thou art I…_

_Thou hast acquired a new vow._

_It shall become a Beacon in the darkness_

_To lead you down the path to your own justice._

_With the birth of the Fool Persona,_

_You have obtained unforeseen power_

_That will allow you to remake your Fate anew."_

Much like the last time, once the voice had finished speaking, life returned to the room, and the girls all started moving, going about their usual nighttime routine.  _First Death, now The Fool? I'm going to have to write these down, maybe try to find some more information about it._

While the others all started chatting and relaxing, Weiss turned back to Farran, hands on her hips, and scowling at his torso, "Honestly, Farran? I guess it can't be helped." She stuck out her hand, "Give me your shirt and blazer."

"Wait, what?" Farran turned back to her, confused, "What do you mean?"

"I mean what I said. You managed to tear a gash in your shirt  _and_ blazer! Since you obviously can't afford to replace it until we start going on missions, I'll need to patch it for you. Now, hand it over." She thrust her hand closer to him to accentuate her point.

Farran looked down, and sure enough, there was some damage to his school clothes. No doubt caused by his fight with the Shadows. Farran bent over, simpering, "Well now. Weiss, you don't need to make up excuses if you want me to strip for you-"

Weiss cut him off by grabbing a textbook from a desk, and belted him over the head with it, "Please don't start with the ludicrous comments. Not only am I still slightly annoyed with you, but by now, I'm entirely fed up with them after receiving them almost nonstop from a certain blonde oaf."

"Quit calling me that!" Yang crossed her arms, "You love it when I flirt, and you know it."

"Love is a rather strong term. I'd say 'tolerate out of respect for our leader, who happens to be your sister' would be more apt to describe it."

Still being pressured by Weiss' outstretched hand, Farran relented, "Fine, fine. Twist my arm why don't you?" He took off his shirt and blazer, handing them to Weiss, who in turn moved to her bed to get started. Farran grabbed a seat over by his futon, digging through his bag for a change of clothes, when a thought came to him, "Hey, Weiss. You said you're from a super-rich family, right? How does the heiress of that kind of a family know how to sew? I figured you'd have a butler or something to do it for you."

"Don't presume to know how I've lived." She responded dryly, searching through one of her cases by her bed, "While we did have servants that would handle menial tasks like this normally, I've always done my own sewing. My grandmother taught me how when I was young. It was her favorite hobby, and I've always found it to be quite relaxing as well."

"Speaking of unusual hobbies. Damn Farran…" Yang let out a low whistle, walking over to him and eyeing his now exposed torso up and down, "Whoever you were before must have been into some serious stuff. Those are some scars a veteran Huntsman would be proud of, and… Wait, are those implants?"

"Implants? What are you talking about?" He craned his neck, trying to get a glimpse of what she was referring to.

"Here, these metal bits on your back!" She traced two circles between his shoulder blades, sending a shiver down his spine. When she moved her fingers over them, he could feel the pressure, but not the touch, of her pushing on them.

"Oh!" Ruby cried out in recognition, "Farran, isn't that where your Semblance came out from?"

Farran thought back to the top of the tower. When he had first used his semblance, he pushed his aura out through two areas that felt like his skin was being pinched. He realized that where Yang was currently touching were the exact same areas as before. He turned back to Ruby and nodded, "Yea, I think you're right. It certainly feels the same."

"Hold on." Blake cut them off and leaned forward, interested, "You figured out what your Semblance is today, too? What else did we miss?"

Farran rubbed the back of his neck, "Sorry, did I forget to say? It's how I got away in the first place today. Here, stand back and I'll show you."

Farran waited until Yang took a few steps back, and Weiss, who had already started working on repairing his uniform, had set down her needle. Just like before, he took a deep breath and flared his aura, pushing it towards the two pinpricks of pressure where the metal implants on his back were located. Straining, he pushed the energy out into the room, once again seeing the bright light appear behind him. The gasps in surprise told him he had succeeded again, as he looked back to see his silver wings. One stretched out, passing between the bunk beds and almost touching the room's window, while the other had to say curled up behind him due to lack of room.

"No way…" Yang shook her head, "There is no way in hell you can fly."

"Yes he can!" Ruby beamed, "It's so cool! Farran flew us all the way back here from the school building!"

Farran snickered at her half-truth, "Well, at least my bum knee isn't going to make me useless in combat any more. Won't have to run around and hope it holds up if I can just fly."

"But… How?!" Weiss blurted out, exasperated, "They're made of metal! Unless you have some sort of propulsion, you shouldn't be able to fly!"

"How should I know?" Farran shrugged, "It's a Semblance, isn't it? I thought they were some kind of magic. Since when do the laws of physics bother with- OW!"

Farran spun around to see Blake, who was holding one of his feathers which she had just pulled out, "That's so weird. It's definitely silver, like jewelry grade silver, yet it feels just like a bird's feather. Wait, if it's all silver, how did that hurt you?"

"I don't know! Just don't pull any more out!"

"Oooooh! If they're silver, maybe we should pluck all his feathers and sell them!" He saw a twinkle in Yang's eye, "We'd make a fortune! Besides, if it's your semblance, they should all grow back, right?"

"Hell no!" Farran quickly dispelled his wings before she could grab any more, "Hey, your hair will grow back too, right? How about we rip it all out and sell it!"

She stared at him in horror, "Don't even joke about that! My hair is like a baby to me."

Blake snickered, "I don't know, Yang. He's got a point. There's plenty of wig shops out there that would pay a fortune for hair like yours, given how well you take care of it."

"Don't give him any ideas, Blake! Nobody touches my hair. I thought you were supposed to be my partner!"

Yang and Blake continued arguing about her hair while Weiss went back to her sewing. Farran grabbed the rest of his change of clothes, then looked over at Ruby, who gave him a warm smile and a nod, moving to her dresser to get changed herself. The tense situation they had walked into had finally turned back into the team's usual, friendly hijinks. Farran decided to go to the bathroom and change, knowing that his indecency would most likely provoke more arguments. After changing into a pair of shorts, he stopped and looked in the bathroom mirror, trying to get a better look at his back. He could finally see the metal implants, which looked like two steel ball bearings, no more than half an inch thick, sticking out of his back. While it wasn't something he would do himself, Farran was glad his past self had decided to get them, as it made controlling his Semblance much easier than it would have been otherwise. He finished changing, and exited the bathroom. Ruby had already finished changing by the time he returned, as she was already asleep in her bunk, no doubt exhausted from their foray into the Metaverse. Yang and Blake were still animatedly talking away, deep in conversation, with Weiss chiming in every so often to rebuke them for their noise. Smiling, Farran made his way to his futon in the corner and collapse. Unable to keep his eyelids open any longer, he drifted off to sleep, contentedly listening to his teammates.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well then, how exactly does a man who knows how to fly fall to his near-death? Mwehehehe.
> 
> Hey Guys!
> 
> Just wanted to cover a few things real quick.
> 
> I don't know if the amount of Emo Ruby was too much this chapter, but if so, I apologize. It's not something that's going to be common in the future. I just figure, she's fifteen, she went through some very serious shit today, and was confronted with one of her biggest fears, so I thought she would be appropriately sad. Let me know what you all think!
> 
> I reread the prologue, and it occurred to me that Ozpin's comment about Farran's name meaning "silver" might be misinterpreted as him having silver eyes. I don't know if anyone else thought that, but if so, I hope this chapter clears it up. I'm trying to make sure Farran isn't a Gary Stu (As much as you can make a Persona Protag not a Gary Stu at least. Considering they solve the problems of everyone around them, and in a lot of cases, date every single girl they meet!), but if I gave him the Wild Card, AND the most powerful ability in RWBY, there wouldn't be any room to debate, right?
> 
> I'd also like to go over the Personas for a second, and why I picked them. To some, this may seem like stuff everyone knows, but I'd rather fill in anyone who might not have heard of them, even if the chance they haven't is quite small.
> 
> Abel: Abel comes from the story in the Old Testament of the Bible of Cain and Abel. Cain and Abel were two brothers, each that offered sacrifices to God. God ended up preferring Abel's sacrifices, which infuriated Cain, who in a fit of jealous rage, killed Abel and buried him. I figured that Abel's unjust death was a good fit for Farran's story, given that he almost suffered the same fate.
> 
> Lupa: Suggested by Mad Thought! Lupa refers to the female wolf who raised Romulus and Remus after they were abandoned in the mythology of how Rome was founded. I figured that she was a fit for Ruby, given that she lost her own mother which led to her fear of death, essentially having Lupa to guide her through her fear almost like a foster mother. Also, I figured it was a nice tie in to the imagery of Little Red Riding Hood, since that's who Ruby was originally based on. The big bad wolf and all that.
> 
>  
> 
> Anyway, I'm going to call it here. See you guys in the next Chapter!
> 
> Thanks for reading,
> 
> Inferno :D


	5. Forging Bonds

The following day, the toll from spending so much time in the Metaverse held Farran and Ruby in a deep sleep well into the morning, almost making them late to class. Their teammates had agreed that it would be unacceptable to allow them to sleep through class, leaving Weiss to shake Farran awake, which would have led to more drastic means had her shouts not cut through the veil of sleep that was over him. Still, he was more than thankful for his own wakeup call, rather than Ruby's. The team leader ended up taking two showers that morning, the first in the form of a bucket of ice water from her sister, causing Farran to learn of and appreciate the cruelty between siblings.

Hours later, after a Dust Studies class with a surprisingly cordial Professor Peach, a starving Team RWBY plopped down at the lunch table, soon joined by an equally ravenous Team JNPR, who had been right on their heels on the way to class. The table remained rather quiet, save for the clinking of silverware on plates, until Jaune opened up his scroll to an online news site.

"Oh crap… Another one?" He muttered over a bite of scrambled eggs.

"Hmm? Another what, Jaune?" Pyrrha looked up at him.

"Oh, you know those accidents that've been happening all over for the past while?" he gestured to his scroll, "This says an airship just went down between Atlas and Vale. I guess the black box said there was nothing wrong with it either. Just communications went dark, then it went into a nosedive."

"Wait, Jaune..." Weiss' fork clattered to the table, "That airship, does the article say anything about who it belongs to?"

"Let's see…" He started skimming back through it, "Left Atlas at three this morning… scheduled to arrive at seven… Ship was owned by… Oh no. It was an SDC ship..."

"Who was on board?" She blurted out, "Does it say anything about the passengers?"

Jaune looked up from his scroll, "From the press release, it seems like it was just a cargo ship. Probably a lot of dust, unfortunately, but not all too many people. Definitely no big wigs, otherwise it'd be much bigger news."

Farran watched her shrink back into her seat and let out a sigh of relief, then he turned back to Jaune, "So… You said 'another one'? Have there been a ton of accidents lately?"

"That's one way of putting it, but how do you not know, Farran?" Pyrrha questioned as the rest of the table stared at him in disbelief, "These accidents have been all over the news for almost the past two years."

 _Oh, crap! I forgot they don't know about me…_ He laughed nervously, "Sorry, just didn't really pay attention to the news back in Atlas. Way too much negativity and politics. Not my kind of thing if I could avoid it."

She nodded solemnly, his statement apparently ringing true, "I guess I cannot blame you for that. Essentially, all sorts of accidents have been happening all over Remnant. Buildings caught on fire, cars and airships crashing, trains derailing, you name it. It's almost like a cloud of bad luck has been cast over Remnant itself…"

"Add to that everything the White Fang has been doing, and the increase of Grimm attacks outside of major city walls…" Yang added, glumly, "All active Huntsmen have been working damn near triple duty for a while now."

"I'm telling you guys!" Nora pounded on the table, "That's why the military in Atlas recruited a teenage ace detective. They need someone to investigate this stuff! I heard they were over in Mistral last week, looking into the White Fang."

"Ridiculous." Weiss rolled her eyes, "My sister works under General Ironwood herself! I can tell you for a fact any rumors of some so-called "ace detective" are unsubstantiated and completely untrue."

"I dunno, Weiss. There's plenty of rumors about it." Jaune rubbed the back of his neck, "It's a big deal all over the net. Whoever this detective is, they have to be super smart. Like the guys in those old crime dramas my dad watches all the time."

Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose, "Rumors on the internet. Of course. Just like all of those rumors by those who have 'relatives' at the Schnee Dust Company that say they're experimenting on a new kind of dust that increases men's testosterone. Tell me, do these rumors even give a name?"

"Those rumors aren't true?! But I already… Never mind." He tried to hide a blush, "A-Anyway, of course there hasn't been a name leaked! No way they'd compromise someone like that."

"Jaune, as much as I like some good fiction, real life isn't like your comic books." Blake mused, "If the military was going to have someone investigate, they would send one of their own. You know, someone they trained themselves to investigate that kind of stuff? Not some kid our age. Not to mention, they would have said something about their investigation to calm people down."

"I prefer to call them graphic novels, actually."

Yang snickered, "You're such a dork. Man, it doesn't matter what you call them. It's still all a load of… Hey, what the hell?!"

Yang bolted from her seat, running over to Farran, standing firm like she was looking for a fight. She was soon joined by the rest of the team, sans Ruby, all crowding around him. Farran spun around to see just what had gotten into all of them, when he saw Cardin Winchester walking up to the table, arms half-heartedly raised in mock surrender.

"You have a lot of nerve coming here alone after what you pulled yesterday." Weiss glared him down.

"Easy, easy." Cardin tried waving them off, "I didn't come looking for trouble. I just need to talk to him. That's all."

"Anything you have to say to him, you can say in front of the rest of us." Yang growled, earning a nod from the rest of the group.

"Look, I just… Fine." Cardin sighed, "Look, man. I just wanted to apologize, ok? That's it. I've just been through ten tons of shit lately, and I took it out on you. So I just wanted to say sorry for being an ass."

Yang, Weiss, and Blake dropped their guard, stunned. Farran, however, just grinned, "Man, don't even worry about it. I understand. But I'm not the one you need to say sorry to. You apologize to Velvet, yet?"

"No, I… I haven't seen her yet, today. Just saw you first. Probably gonna have to wait until she's not with her team. They already want to kill me as is, so I doubt they'd let me get a word in. Anyway, that's all I wanted. See ya."

Cardin tried to rush away, but Farran called to him, "Hey Cardin! How about once I'm cleared, you and me have a match, one on one? Settle the score that way."

"Your funeral, Transfer." He waved back at him, "Consider your challenge accepted."

Cardin scurried away while Farran returned to his breakfast. The rest of his team retook their seats, as they and Team JNPR stared at him, mouths agape as he nonchalantly ate his toasted bagel. It wasn't until he was almost finished eating that Weiss indignantly kicked him in the shin to grab his attention.

"What was that for?!"

"Farran." Weiss' voice was hollow, "What on Remnant just happened? You do realize that Cardin Winchester just apologized to you, correct?"

"Yea, why?"

"Cardin Winchester doesn't apologize to anyone!" She hissed, "No one in his family does! This is completely unprecedented."

"I don't know why you guys are making such a big deal out of this. Guy just said he was sorry for being a dick. That's all." He punctuated his non-interest with a gulp of orange juice.

While he was playing coy on the outside, Farran was screaming internally over what had just happened. Just as Viola had said the night before, after his Shadow had been defeated, Cardin had practically become a whole new person overnight. Had he not experienced the Metaverse himself, he wouldn't have believed it. Even still, while he was expecting some sort of a change, he wasn't expecting it to be so drastic, nor was he expecting it so soon. Apparently, Ruby had been thinking the same thing, as she excitedly dug out her scroll, and hurriedly typed out a message to Farran while the others resumed conversation around them.

**R: Did that really just happen?! That has to be because of last night, right?!**

**F: It had to be. As absolutely insane as that world is, I can't think of any other reason as to why he just grew a conscience overnight.**

**R: This is incredible… So by using that world, the two of us can stop that jerk and save Velvet? That's what you and that girl (Viola?) were talking about, right?**

**F: Yeah. I'll let you know when I get some more information. Just don't say anything to anyone, and make sure you keep Crescent Rose with you.**

Farran closed his scroll, pocketing it with a slow nod. Ruby's questions, as well as the whole Cardin incident, had his thoughts racing, which lasted all through lunch, and the entirety of the next class as well. Not that he missed any pertinent information, since the professor, Professor Port as Weiss had explained to him, blustered his way through tall tales of his day as a Huntsmen. The whole situation had solidified a lot of things he had been worrying about. First, all of the information Igor had provided him was correct. By accepting his Shadow, Farran gained his Persona, and thus the ability to change people's hearts. The effects were near instant, and were drastic, as if the target were an entirely different person.

While the validity of Igor's statements had a silver lining, there was still one major problem that came with them. Farran had almost been hoping that the mysterious man would be wrong because otherwise, he and Ruby were the only two people standing between Velvet, and a lifetime of hell being forced on her. The video they had watched would become true without them, and they had a very strict deadline to work with. After that, which was a little over three weeks away, there would be nothing they could do to help the poor girl. Even that would be no easy feat, as proven by their last trip to the Metaverse, since the Shadows proved to be deadly and large in number, and Shadow Richards was apparently stronger than any of them. In an instant, all of that had become an all too real problem for the two of them.

After class had let out, the team decided to go their separate ways for a bit, as each of the girls had their own plans for the evening. Although, they had been sure to warn Farran that should he not be at the dorm before dinner, without giving them prior warning, there would be consequences. Since he was the only one of the group without prior engagements, he decided he would head to the library to focus on his Dust Studies readings. Farran had found over the past two days that, as opposed to his other studies about the Grimm where it felt more like he was remembering the information, everything he learned about dust and its properties seemed to be brand new to him. While the new sensation excited him a bit, he knew it was necessary to bury himself in his textbooks, since he was essentially starting from square one.

He weaved his way through the labyrinths of bookshelves, making his way to an unoccupied study room in the very back of the library. Setting his bag down, he decided it would be best to start from the beginning of the textbook again, rereading the basics of fire dust. He stayed in that private little corner for quite some time, the peaceful atmosphere allowing him to focus entirely on his work, until he heard the door behind him open.

"I'll see you at the dining hall, Coco. Just going to study for a bit." He heard the familiar, accented voice of a girl behind him, "Oh, I'm sorry… I didn't realize this one was taken…"

He quickly spun around to see Velvet standing shyly in the doorway, looking like she was about to scurry off, "Hey, don't worry about it. I don't mind sharing the room if you don't." He reassured her with a smile.

"Um… Ok…" She meekly took a spot on the other end of the table he was sitting at.

Farran went back to his book, but found himself noticing Velvet glancing at him curiously, before quickly returning her vision to her own books. This went on for several minutes before he spoke up, "Is everything ok? I hope I'm not bugging you."

"N-No! That's not it…" She stammered, "Thank you for yesterday. When you stood up to Cardin, I mean. Nobody outside of my teammates have been willing to help me, what with his connection to the Security Chief here. So, thanks…"

"Don't mention it. First off, I didn't know anything about either of those assholes until afterwards." Velvet started to look downtrodden, but Farran waved a hand in front of her to keep her attention, "At least let me finish before you write me off, yea? I probably would have done it regardless."

"I'm sorry, but I just can't believe you…" She hung her head, "You're not a Faunus, and you don't really know me. Nobody would go through all that trouble. Not for someone like me."

"No, you're right. I'm human, and we just met. I guess… I just see life as too short for people to be anything but happy, and that goes double for people causing problems for others. If I can do something to help someone feel even a little bit better, then I'll do it. Richards be damned, I wasn't gonna sit there and watch that happen."

She giggled softly, "That sounds like some cheesy line from the superhero shows my kid brother watches."

"Hey, I'd say I'm doing a damn good job of it already with this whole Huntsman thing! Besides, didn't Cardin apologize to you today?"

"Y-Yea, he did. It was completely out of the blue. I almost thought he was p-planning something again. How did you…?" Her eyes shot wide open, "Hold on… You were the one that got him to do it? I can't believe this. How? And why would you go through all that trouble?"

"What can I say? I've got my secrets." He smirked, "But do you believe me now? I didn't do it for any ulterior motive or anything. Hell, I wasn't sure if I'd run into you again. Just did it so he would leave you alone."

"I guess you're right. Thank you… um?"

"Farran Park, from Team RWBY. Nice to finally meet you, Velvet." She gave him a questioning look, "Sorry, Ruby told me your name after everything that happened."

"No, not that. Team RWBY is an all-girls team, last I checked. Besides, where does 'Farran' fit in with RWBY?"

"Right, sorry." He rubbed the back of his neck, "I know, the whole naming thing got thrown off cause of me. I'm a transfer from Atlas. I didn't want to screw up the team name or anything after they were nice enough to take me in."

"Oh, I see. I can sort of remember Ruby saying something about that. She's a really nice girl. Blake too, from the few times I've been able to talk with her. I haven't had much time to meet your other teammates though." She brought a finger to her chin, thinking, "Tell you what. You say you have your secrets, but I have my own, you know. I'll share one with you, since you helped me out, and cause you're Ruby's friend."

Farran watched as she got up from her seat, and moved over to the wall next to him. She knelt down, and wrapped her fingers around one of the wooden panels at the bottom, giving it a slight pull, and removing it from the wall. She set it to the side to reveal a small metal tunnel, almost like an air vent, that led into the wall. Farran could swear he felt a slight breeze blowing through it.

"From what I can tell, I think this is an old maintenance crawlspace. It leads to my private hiding spot. I found it on the second day of classes. It leads outside, so there's usually a nice breeze coming through it, which means there's no dust or cobwebs, thankfully. Here, follow me. Oh, but…" She looked down at her skirt, already fluttering from the breeze. A slight blush popped up on her cheeks. "Why don't you go first?"

Farran nodded, sliding his textbook back into his bag, and bringing it with him. The crawlspace was long, and cramped, forcing him to military crawl the entire length. For the first time in his new life, he realized just how glad he was that he wasn't claustrophobic. Still, the light at the end, and the smell of fresh air kept him pressing onwards. Finally, after shimmying along for about twenty feet, he managed to pull himself out, finding himself in a small area, concrete walls on three sides, and a flight of steps ahead. He heard Velvet coming up behind him, so he stepped out of the way, helping her up once she finally clambered through. She led him up the stairs, up to a concrete platform, and one of the most beautiful sights he had ever seen. The platform was a gap in the castle's main tower, surrounded by pillars that connected the floor to the ceiling. In the center, an enormous metal cylinder rose from top to bottom, making the platform a walkway about ten feet wide around it. From where he was standing, he could see the city of Vale way off in the distance, and the sun setting towards the horizon over the sea, enveloping everything in fiery hues of orange and red. The crisp spring breeze blew softly by them, surprisingly not strong enough to chill them, given how high up they were. The whole of Beacon's campus stretched out before them, little dots that were students making their way around the green fields. Farran turned to Velvet, who was watching him with a smile.

"What do you think?"

"It's amazing, he replied, breathless, "The view up here is gorgeous. How did you find out about this place?"

"I went up to that study room to be alone for a bit. That's when I noticed a draft, and the panel was coming of slightly. Since the crawlspace was clean enough, I figured I'd investigate." She moved a windswept lock of hair out of her face, "Turns out this is one of the few places on campus without any security cameras, whether Director Richards doesn't know about it, or just hasn't come up here, I don't know. But the view is perfect for my photography, and I love coming up here whenever I get stressed."

"Is that why you were coming here today?"

She nodded, "Today was a long day. Even with Cardin apologizing, which was definitely a plus, might I add. I'm just really nervous about tomorrow."

Farran motioned over to the metal cylinder, "Want to talk about it?"

The two sat down, leaning against it, "There's not really much to talk about. I'm just going on my first mission tomorrow, and I've been getting really anxious about it."

"A mission? That's cool, but I thought us first years weren't allowed to go on them for a little bit yet?"

"What? I'm obviously a second year! Can't you tell from my mature charm and beauty?" She giggled, "No, I know what you mean. I was supposed to be a first year, but when we all arrived, I got called into Opzin's office. Apparently, there was an odd number of incoming students, and they didn't want to make a situation like yours. I thought I was going to be sent home, but he ended up fast tracking me a year!"

"Shit, really? That's awesome Velvet!" He shook his head, impressed, "I guess that means you're some seriously gifted Huntress, right?"

"No, nothing like that." She twiddled her thumbs, "Honestly, I just studied and practiced really hard before I came here. I grew up in a Faunus neighborhood in Vale, which wasn't the slums, but it wasn't far off. I knew I had to become a Huntress so I could get myself and my family out of there. Plus…" She let out a sad laugh, "I guess I have a little idealism like you do. Like when you said you want to help people feel better… so do I. That's always been a dream I've been chasing since I was little."

"I see…" He paused for a second, "So, what team are you on, Velvet? Do you guys have five members too?"

"Huh? Oh, I'm on Team CFVY. From what I've been able to gather, they had another teammate before me, but I don't know what happened. They don't like to talk about it. But they haven't been able to go on missions for a while, which is why they wanted to do one tomorrow. It's a little unnerving, really. Coco, our leader, said she made sure it wouldn't be too difficult, but it was still one rated for second years."

"Hey, no need to be so stressed about it. I'm sure you'll do just fine." He shrugged, "Look Velvet, whatever you think of yourself, I know you wouldn't have been picked for their team if you couldn't handle it. Ozpin believed in you, your team believed in you… Hell, I know it means next to nothing since we just met, but I know you're gonna do just fine. You'll probably show up those second year teammates of yours too!"

"Aww, that's so sweet. Thank you for the vote of confidence, Farran. You'd be surprised just how much it means. You know, I can see why Ruby let you on her team."

The two laughed, and kept talking for quite some time, watching the sun slowly set. As they talked, Farran could feel his resolve strengthening to take down Shadow Richards. Velvet had pushed herself, and placed all her determination into becoming a Huntress. All that time studying and practicing, just so she could help her family and other people. Yet Richards thought he'd ruin this poor girl's life, just for the sake of profit. It wasn't something he was just going to sit by and let happen so easily.

Just as the sun reached the tips of the waves on the horizon, Velvet stood up and brushed herself off, "Well, this has been fun, Farran. Unfortunately, I have to get going. Having dinner with the team, then right to bed. Early morning and all that."

"I hear ya. I was going to have to get out of here soon anyway. Weiss would have my head if I showed up late again tonight." Farran stretched his back until he heard a crack, "Hey, Velvet. I was wondering, whenever you get back from your mission, would you want to hang out sometime? I don't really know all too many people outside my team, so…"

"Sure, Farran. I actually had a lot of fun today. Here, give me your scroll." She took it and pulled out her own, handing Farran's back to him a few seconds later, "There, you have my number and I have yours. I'll let you know when we get back. I'll introduce you to the team, I think you'll like them. Say hi to Ruby for me, will you?"

"Will do." He walked towards the outside edge of the platform, garnering a raised eyebrow from Velvet, "By the way, since you shared this secret with me, I'll share one of mine."

"What are you talking- Hey!"

Mid-sentence, Farran interrupted her by jumping off the edge. He could hear her gasp in shock behind him. Before the effects of gravity could pull him down, he activated his Semblance. He hadn't even dropped a foot by the time he was able to get his wings moving enough for him to hover. He turned around, his arms spread wide, and a shit-eating grin plastered on his face.

Velvet shook her head, laughing, "You're such an asshole! You just about gave me a heart attack. How are you even doing that?"

"It's my Semblance. Not much of a secret, but hey, it still counts until I use it in class!"

"Well then, I'd ask you for a lift down, but…" She motioned to her skirt again, "Not really feeling like giving anyone a show. I'll take the normal way down, thanks."

"Fair point. Have fun taking the boring way." He snarked, eliciting another laugh from her, "I'll see you later Velvet. Good luck on your mission, yea?"

They said goodbye, and Farran hovered there, watching Velvet descend the stairs. Just before her head ducked out of view, he felt time stop around him again, and the voice in his mind rang clear once more.

"I am thou, thou art I…

Thou hast acquired a new vow.

It shall become a Beacon in the darkness

To lead you down the path to your own justice.

With the birth of the Star Persona,

You have obtained unforeseen power

That will allow you to remake your Fate anew."

Time started again as it finished, and Farran saw Velvet turn and give him one last smile before her head disappeared from view, the long rabbit ears of hers soon after. He shook the cobwebs out of his mind, and sped off towards the dorms, as fast as his wings could carry him. Now more than ever, Farran wanted Igor or Viola or  _someone_  connected to the Velvet Room to contact him. With each new bond, he grew increasingly curious about what they meant, and with each passing day, he grew more anxious about the approaching deadline.

* * *

For the next three days, Farran was unable to find respite, as the Velvet Room still proved unreachable. Every night, he would lie awake on his futon for hours, desperately trying to fall asleep in hopes that he would once again gain access to that blue room. Each morning would come far too quickly, his dreamless sleep interrupted by his teammates waking up for class. With exhaustion and anxiousness mounting, he found it increasingly difficult to pay attention in class. If not for Weiss' strictness, he may have forgotten about his studies entirely.

Thankfully on Friday, they were given the afternoon off as Professor Oobleck, who was supposed to teach the afternoon lecture, had gone with Team CFVY on their mission. While unusual for second years to have a professor with them, it was deemed necessary for Velvet's first mission. With an entire free afternoon, Farran decided it would be best to forget about the task at hand, and take a well needed nap. Once he made it back to the dorm, he buried himself under his blanket, and almost immediately drifted off to sleep.

After a few minutes, Farran found himself drifting in a dark void. Once he realized he was lucid, he became excited, hoping that he would finally receive some answers. Yet, the endless blue fog that usually preceded the Velvet Room did not appear. Instead, he could see a blue butterfly slowly gliding towards him. He tried to call out to it, knowing the blue butterfly as a symbol of the Velvet Room, but found himself unable to speak. The butterfly flitted its way around him, and Farran started to feel calm. Despite no words having been said, he could almost feel as if the butterfly were telling him to stay calm, that everything would be alright. Moments later, it disappeared, and he felt like his body was being sucked from the void.

Farran woke up to what felt like a piece of metal thumping against his shoulder and falling to the ground. He opened his eyes with a groan to see a scroll laying on the floor in front of him. He sat up and scanned the room, looking for where it came from, only to find Weiss. She was sitting on her bed, hugging her knees to her chest. She initially looked shocked to see Farran rise from under his blankets, but nonetheless resumed staring icily at the wall ahead of her.

"Hey, sorry. Just uh… was taking a nap. I found your scroll!" He laughed nervously, "Is everything ok?"

"Oh. Right. Thank you Farran." Her voice was monotone, "Yes, everything is fine."

He grabbed her scroll and got up, walking over to her bed and plopping down next to her, "You want to talk about it?"

"As I said," She took the scroll from him, "Everything is fine. There's nothing to talk about."

He sighed, "Look Weiss, you can sit there and say that all night, but I still know something's wrong. You really think I'm going to see you like this and just say, 'Nope, everything's fine! Just gonna go about my day now!' The other day, I had to put a lot of trust in you guys to talk about my past. Now, I feel like I actually belong here, cause I can trust all of you. All I'm asking is that you do the same for me. Besides, you woke me up from a nice relaxing nap by pelting me with your scroll. I'm not moving from this spot until you talk to me."

"Farran…" He could see a vein start to pop by her temple, "Very well. I am upset because of my family, and there's nothing you or I or anyone else can do about it. Satisfied?"

"You're going to have to do a lot better than that." He deadpanned.

She groaned, "Why do you care anyway? You've been walking around as if you were just lobotomized for the past few days. Perhaps you should take care of that first before you dig into other people's problems."

"I see your point. I just didn't realize it was that noticeable. I've just been stressed, thinking about how I can go about changing fate, I guess."

"Change fate? Ha. You're hilarious." She rested her chin between he knees, "It's impossible to change your fate. You just have to move on and accept it…"

"And now we're back to you." Weiss gave him a puzzled look, "Well, from the sound of things, you just tied what's eating you into my problem. Well?"

Weiss buried her face with a nearby pillow, groaning. Farran could swear he heard a muffled "Drat" as well. Finally, she threw the pillow at him with a glare, "Your persistence is obnoxious. You know that?" She only got a shrug in response, "Fine. I guess since you're not going to stop pestering me until I tell you… I am the Schnee family heiress. After my sister left to join the military, my father disowned her, making me the next head of the family name, fortune, company, you name it. That is my destiny…"

"That's not what you want, is it?" Farran asked, already knowing the answer.

"No. No it is not. Sitting behind a desk, doing paperwork, deciding the future of other people's livelihoods… It wasn't my ideal future to begin with. Not to mention that in order for me to not be disowned like Winter was, I have to be the exact kind of daughter my father expects me to be. Do as he says, talk as he says, think as he says..." Weiss' voice started to crack, but she soon regained her composure, "And it'll all be for nothing in the end. He'll end up arranging a marriage for me, making sure I go to whoever can offer him the most. Once I'm married, all the control that was to be mine would go to my husband, and that will be it. They'll have control of everything, and I'll be left to waste away… Just like my mother. Becoming a hostage to a loveless marriage in my own home, even the idea of being trapped behind the company desk for the rest of my life is preferable."

"I take it he wasn't happy with the idea of you coming to Beacon."

"Of course he wasn't. When I told him I'd be coming here and becoming a Huntress… I never saw him that livid before. He's been calling my scroll every few days since I left, telling me to come home. To go back to my destiny… I've been able to ignore it for all this time, and yet with his latest message… All the things he said… I just can't keep it in any more. The worst thing is that he's absolutely right. He always has been. I'm not strong enough to be a Huntress. I'm not Winter… Maybe it's my destiny because it's what's best for me…"

"Hey Weiss?" Farran waited until she turned to face him, then deftly flicked her on the forehead.

"What was that for?!" She rubbed the spot on her forehead, "So help me, if you left a mark, you and Myrtenaster are going to become very intimate tonight!"

"Because you're not being Weiss. You're being Mr. Schnee's daughter, and I need to speak to Weiss." He watched as she calmed down, "First off, the reason you can't hold all that in any more is because nobody can! Nobody should have to. All of that would tear anyone down. I'm amazed you managed this long. We're teammates for a reason, Weiss. Like I said, I put a lot of trust into you guys with my problems. Put your trust in me, and Ruby, Yang, and Blake too. We'll help you with anything."

"I appreciate that, Farran. I really do, but-"

"Second," He cut her off, "I disagree with you. You can change destiny. Hell, from where I'm sitting, it looks to me like you already started!"

Her face softened, "…I have? What do you mean?"

"Well, for starters, you're here. Despite your father obviously not wanting you to come here, you made the choice to do it anyway. Then there's this bed." He gestured at Ruby's bed precariously hanging above them, "I'm going to take a wild guess and say you were never allowed to have bunk beds as a kid. Yet here you are with this… interesting feat of engineering. And, you know, the fact you and I are having this conversation right now. Bet your dad wouldn't be thrilled to hear about you rooming with a guy, would he?"

She let out a soft laugh, "No, I don't think he would. Not that he would have had the choice had I ended up partnered with one during the entrance examination. And even so, it was Ruby's decision to bring you into the team. Not mine."

"Really? So you're saying she agreed to take me in without talking to the rest of you, and make sure you'd all be ok with it?"

"Well, no…"

"That's what I thought. So, after you checked my background, did you tell her you didn't want me joining?" She shook her head, "There we go! So there's three decisions, ones that you made on your own, that go against what your father would want. Weiss, you're a brilliant Huntress already. You're smart, you're strong for as small as you are, I've seen you fight in class. It's really impressive just how good you are. So, for all that destiny crap, I'd just say screw it. And if you ever need help doing something that you want to do, just because he would say no, come to me. Come to any of us. We'll help you out."

"Farran, I… No, you're right. Thank you." She dried her eyes, "Now that I think about it, it might be for the best if I started trying new things while I'm here at Beacon. There are plenty of things I never got to do growing up."

"That a girl! How about this, you make up a list of things you want to try, and since your father isn't here, you can give 'em all a go. Say good riddance to some 'fate' someone else had planned for you, you're living your life on your own. We could even get some help from the others, maybe they have some stuff for you to try. With your permission of course, don't want to force you to do anything you're uncomfortable with. How's that sound, Little Miss Rebel?" He finished with a wink.

She directed her index finger at his face, "Don't call me that." She paused, thinking, "Although, you are right. I think that might work. And in return, I'll help you out with your Dust Studies readings."

"N-No, you don't need to do that. I don't need anything in return."

"Yes, I do." She folded her arms, "Even if you want to just consider it me being selfish. I've noticed how you've been struggling with that class. You're lucky Professor Peach hasn't gone off on you after Sunday. Granted, I will admit she does get a bit spacey in class, so it's possible she forgot all about it by now. Still, as I've said before, I won't allow any of you to fall behind in class, and who better to teach you about dust than the heiress of the Schnee Dust Company herself? Deal?"

 _Damn, she's got me there…_  "Yea, it's a deal."

With their agreement sealed, time once again froze around Farran. The voice in his mind spoke, revealing that this newly forged bond was of the Fortune Arcana. Once time restarted, Weiss thought it best for the two of them to go over what he did know about dust, and go from there. Farran went over to his bag and pulled out his textbook and a notebook, quickly scribbling down a few notes about the bonds he'd already forged on the last page. The first chance he got, he'd have to look into what they all meant. For the time being, however, he needed to focus on the lengthy lecture on the properties of ice dust that Weiss was preparing for him.

* * *

The following day, Farran found himself spending his first Saturday as a student of Beacon Academy once again in the school's all but deserted library. It finally being the weekend, the library had been left almost exclusively to those antisocial or studious enough, in some cases both, to forego their free time with others in favor of continued reading. While the solitude did bring a sense of tranquility over him, Farran did not come here to catch up on his studies. Rather, he had a different mission in mind, two in fact, which had brought him here today. The first came to him this morning, in the form of a text from an unregistered number, telling him to check his mailbox. Due to the fact that he knew no one outside of the school, he had all but forgotten that he had a mailbox in the first place. The first floor of the dorms contained a wall of small metal lockboxes that acted as their mailboxes, each accessed by swiping their scroll. In Farran's, he found a blue, unmarked envelope. Inside was a small playing card, blue on one side, white on the other, an old, gnarled key, and an unsigned letter instructing him to take Ruby somewhere they wouldn't be seen, then tear the card in half and throw it to the ground. It seemed like this would be the day he would finally return to the Velvet Room.

He thought about it for a while, but ultimately narrowed it down to two choices. Since Richards had cameras all over campus, the only secure places they wouldn't be spotted by anyone would be the dorm's bathroom, or the platform Velvet had shown him. Given that the bathroom was hardly soundproof if they were to hold a meeting there, not to mention Yang would not be too pleased if she saw him enter or exit the bathroom with her sister, Farran had waited until after lunch when the rest of the team would be busy and texted Ruby to meet him in the library

Meanwhile, when he was waiting for Ruby to meet up with him, Farran decided to work on the day's second mission. He scoured the library, looking through the very back where the non-academic books were kept. After about fifteen minutes, he finally found what he was looking for: a book on fortune telling. He grabbed it, and took it to the study room connected to the crawlspace, flipping to the chapter on Tarot cards. From what he could tell, each of the bonds he had formed so far had been represented by one of the Major Arcana, of which there were twenty two, number between 0 and 21.  _So, with four bonds already, does that mean I still have another eighteen to go? And then what?_  He pulled out his notebook and started taking notes on the four he had found already. He became so engrossed in his note taking that he didn't notice when a certain small, black and red haired girl tiptoed into the room behind him.

"Soooo, what is it you wanted to talk about?" Ruby laughed as Farran leapt from his chair, his heart racing, "Surprised to see me? You're the one who told me to come here."

"Yeah, yeah, I know… Dust, please don't do that again." He knelt down and motioned for her to join him, pulling the panel off the wall, "Velvet showed me this the other day. It leads to this gap in the tower, and there's no security cameras there. Figured it's the perfect place to plan out what to do about that world."

"Oh, cool! So it's just through there? Let's go!"

Farran led Ruby through the crawlspace and out to the platform. While Ruby zipped about admiring the view, he looked about for the most secure place for them to do this. Ultimately, he decided that the enclosed area just outside the crawl space would be best, just on the off chance someone had any kind of line of sight to the platform. Once Ruby had rejoined him, Farran took the card from his pocket, ripped it in two, then threw it to the ground. As soon as it met concrete, the card erupted with blue flames that grew up to nearly the top of the stairs. After burning for a few seconds, the flames subsided, revealing a blonde girl in a blue dress, laying on her back on the ground in front of them.

Viola scrambled to her feet, scowling at Farran with her hands on her hips, "You were supposed to tear it with the blue side up!"

"Oh, was I? Sorry, I must have missed that part." Farran shrugged.

"It was clearly written in your instructions! Honestly…" She shook her head, "In any case, these cards are how you will enter the Velvet Room from now on. My Master will still summon you from time to time, but you will be free to enter on your own volition very soon. I will give you another card when that time comes, and you will receive a new one as you exit. By the way, where exactly are we?"

"It's a maintenance platform halfway up the tower. It's the only place I could find without cameras."

"Excellent thinking! Now…" She sat down on the steps behind her, "We need to get you two up to speed on what to do about the Metaverse."

"About time!" Ruby pouted, "It's been a week already! We need to do something before it's too late to help Velvet…"

Viola smiled weakly, "I know, and I'm sorry. Unfortunately it was necessary for us to hold off this week, until you have been fully healed, Farran. Besides, even though you haven't been able to enter the Metaverse, you've still been making progress, far more than my Master anticipated. You've already forged four bonds, have you not?"

Farran nodded "Yea, I have. I'm still not sure what any of it all means though. Igor never really explained it all too well. I've done a little reading of my own though. All of my bonds are related to Tarot cards?"

"Yes they are. I'm surprised you caught on to that so fast. The Tarot isn't as widely known on Remnant as it is elsewhere." Viola beamed, "You will find that the Arcana that each of your bonds represent will represent the journey taken by you and those you are bonding with. After all, the Arcana is the means by which all is revealed."

"What are you two talking about?" Ruby looked between the two, completely lost.

"Oh, of course. I'm sorry Ruby." Viola bowed, "You see, Farran has this power called the Wild Card. Essentially, what this means is that you can wield more than one Persona, Farran. Normally, that is impossible. Your bonds are what give you that ability. The more bonds you form, your heart will be able to hold Personas that represent those bonds. The stronger your bonds become, your heart will grow stronger, which will make you stronger as well.

"Wait… Doesn't that mean he's just hanging out with people to get stronger?"

"No, of course not! Nothing like that! Forming bonds with such a selfish motive would never increase the strength of your heart. It would need to be fully reciprocated from both sides for the bond to form, let alone grow stronger."

"I see…" Ruby nodded, then pouted, "That is so unfair! Why do you get more than one?!"

"Luck of the draw, I guess." Farran leaned against the wall, winking, "Besides, aren't you happy with Lupa?"

"I am, but that's beside the point." She crossed her arms and turned her back on him.

"In any case, your power is going to be instrumental in taking down the Palace ruler, Farran." Viola desperately tried to bring them back to the topic at hand, "Which is why my Master and I are elated at the progress you've made so far. When we next enter the Metaverse, you will find the true forms of the Shadows you will face are, in fact, Personas. Once you free them from the distortions, you can recruit those who belong to the same Arcana as your bonds to join our cause."

"Alright, that's all well and good, but when exactly do we go back?" Farran pulled out his scroll, "The video said everything between Velvet and Richards is going to happen on the 24th. The countdown looks like it's that way too. That means we only have nineteen days to do all of… whatever we need to do."

"You're right. For one, we won't really be able to take on the Palace ruler the next time we go in. You remember how the guards were summoned when you tried to access the elevator from the first floor? It's because you lacked suitable authorization to use it. So, what we'll need to do is scour the factory for the guard Shadow in charge, defeat it, and take its keycard. We could always just have you fly us up, but they most likely sealed any vulnerable points on the top of the tower, and we might need one later on anyway. We need to come up with a date where you two will both be free."

"I know!" Ruby pumped her fist, "How about Tuesday? I'll be free after class, and that gives you two days to strengthen your bonds, or whatever. Sound good?"

Farran nodded, "Yea. I'm going to the infirmary tomorrow, and I should get the all clear for combat then."

"Excellent. I'll make sure to meet you two in the Metaverse Tuesday afternoon. Make sure you enter from the same alleyway as last time, just to make sure you come in at the same place. Anywhere else, and who knows where you'll end up. Although…" Viola looked between Farran and Ruby, "It would be nice if we had more of you. Even one more Persona user would be a huge blessing."

"Yeah… I've been meaning to ask you about that, Farran." Ruby kicked at the ground, awkwardly, "What exactly do we tell the rest of the team? I hate keeping them in the dark about all this."

"I know how you feel, but…" Farran hummed, "It's not that I don't trust the others. I just don't want to drag them into something so dangerous. Hell, I wouldn't be bringing you along either, but I have a feeling you wouldn't let me go in alone."

"Of course not!" Ruby glowered at him, "Did you already forget about last time? You know, where you would have died if I weren't there to save your butt? You're not going in alone. If you try, I'm gonna come right in after you, and if anything happens to me, you're gonna have to explain to Yang how I got hurt and it's all your fault!"

"I know, I know. Damn, you aren't afraid to hit below the belt, are you?" Farran asked exasperated as Ruby just stuck her tongue out at him, "As for the others… This isn't going to be a one time thing, is it?"

Viola shook her head, "There is plenty of corruption in your world, Farran. You would not have been granted access to the Velvet Room if you didn't have a great journey ahead of you. Of course, no one can force you down that path. It's ultimately your choice, as our guest."

Farran let out a deep breath, "I suppose… after we get the keycard, we could bring one of them with us? I hate to do that, because facing my own Shadow sucked, I can't imagine it was any better for you, Ruby, and I wouldn't want anyone else to have to do it… But I'd imagine they might get suspicious of us disappearing every so often, Yang especially, and it would be bad if they found out about it on their own… At least then, they wouldn't have to worry about fighting anything strong right after confronting their Shadow. Just keep them outside the tower while it's happening…"

"Don't worry, Farran. We still have some time to think about it." Ruby patted him on the shoulder, "For now, we should just focus on Tuesday."

They all nodded, and Viola stood up, summoning the door to the Velvet Room once more. However, instead of entering, she suddenly turned to face them once more, hands folded behind her back, "I nearly forgot. Our dear guest, you must make the most of every opportunity to form bonds with those who will accompany you on your journey to justice. Myself included, should it not be a bother to you."

Farran raised an eyebrow, "Where's this 'dear guest' stuff coming from again? You were fine calling me by name a second ago."

"Whatever do you mean? I always show our dear guest the upmost respect, and abide by the etiquette expected of an attendant of the Velvet Room. After all, anything else is a sin, just as my Master told me." She motioned towards the door with her head.

 _Oh, so she's playing by Igor's rules whenever the door is around. Got it._ "Sorry, sorry. You're right, Viola. Anyway, you were saying?"

"Since I will be working with you to achieve your justice, it would be for the best that we form a bond as well. I believe that friendships forged in fire are the strongest, are they not? That being the case, a bond between the two of us would prove to be an easy way for you to strengthen you heart. And…" She looked down, dejected.

"And…? And what?"

"Oh, nothing, nothing." She forced a smile and waved him off, "Anyway, what do you say? Shall we form a bond?" She offered him her hand.

Farran studied her for a second, then nodded, "Of course? I look forward to getting to know you, Viola."

They shook hands, and with it, Farran formed a bond with Viola, this time of the Sun Arcana. Farran looked into Viola's eyes as they shook hands, and could almost feel a sense of calming relief come over him for some reason he couldn't quite understand. Before he could consider it any more, Viola broke the handshake, and bid them farewell with a kind smile before disappearing into the Velvet Room. With their new goal in mind, Farran and Ruby went back through the crawlspace into the library, replacing the panel once they were through. Farran packed up his things, and went to the front desk to check out the fortune telling book he had found earlier. Had he not been so distracted with planning out the next few days, he might just have noticed a single strand of blonde hair laying across the open pages of the book before he closed it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Persona, Persona, Persona, Persona. Social Links, Social Links, Social Links, Social Links, Social Links. SOCIAL LINKS!
> 
> Hey Guys,
> 
> Real quick, wanted to give a huge shout out to /u/AStereotypicalGamer on Reddit. Last week during /r/RWBY's Writing Prompt Wednesday, they posted a bunch of write ups about Team CFVY. They were absolutely fantastic, and I really wanted to use them as backstory for Team CFVY in this fic. I asked them, and they said it was cool. So, thank you so much ASG, and if you don't mind getting spoiled on some of the things they'll be dealing with, I absolutely recommend checking out his write ups. They are seriously amazing.
> 
> Thank you all so much for supporting the story!
> 
> Inferno :D


	6. I Can't Bake! Or, Heiress's Diner

"Well, Mister Park. I'm happy to say that your x-rays have come back, and your ribs are good as new! I'll write up your form granting you permission to train and take place in regular combat practice."

Farran looked up at the graying, bespectacled man holding a clipboard who had just entered the room. He was currently sitting on a bed in the Beacon Academy infirmary, where all his medical information had been processed once he had been accepted into the school. To call it an infirmary was certainly an understatement, as it occupied an entire wing of the school. Due to the nature of Beacon, training teenagers to fight deadly Grimm and such, the facility was outfitted with some of the most cutting edge medical technology the school could afford. Accidents happened often, after all, whether on missions or in training.

Farran looked glumly at his leg, wishing he had already been a student when he fell, "That's great, Dr. Stevens. But what about my knee? Is there any hope of it getting any better?"

Stevens ran a hand through his beard, "I wish I could tell you it would, but unfortunately, it's as healed as it's ever going to get. The amount of damage to your knee… it goes beyond even what aura can heal. Even if we were the ones that admitted you, there's not much more we could have done. You're lucky it's healed as much as it has, honestly."

"That's alright. As long as I can still walk." Farran hopped down off the bed.

"Oh, before you go." He grabbed a black brace off the counter behind him, handing it to Farran, "I want you to take this. I know it's not much, but it should help stabilize your knee during combat. At the very least, it'll prevent accidents like the one you had last week. Plus, it's infused with dust, so it should help relieve any pain. Other than that, just try to be careful. I don't want to give off the impression I don't like students, but I prefer not to get to know them too well."

"I get where you're coming from. And I will, thank you."

Taking the brace and the doctor's permission form with him, Farran walked out to the waiting room. Ruby sat there waiting for him, absentmindedly swinging her legs back and forth under her chair. When she saw Farran walk out the double doors into the waiting room, she bounded up to him, much like a puppy that just noticed its favorite toy.

"Soooooo, how'd it go?" She bounced on her heels, "You get the all clear to practice with us?"

"Nope, sorry. Looks like I'm gonna be sidelined for another month. I guess being stuck sleeping on a futon aggravated my ribs."

Ruby looked devastated, until she noticed Farran's smirk. She slugged him on the shoulder, "Keep joking around like that and that futon's gonna be the least of your problems. You do realize that we'd be way past the deadline in a month, right? It's not like I can take that place down on my own!"

"Yea, yea. I know." He started walking towards the exit, Ruby following right along with him, "That thing just has no padding to it, like they just pulled it from some old closet. Still better than the hospital bed I first woke up on though. By the way, where are we going? You said you wanted to hang out today."

"Nowhere special, just into town. There's… just this project that I was planning on doing, and I wanted your help." She eagerly started digging through the bag she was carrying with her, finally pulling out a picture after a few seconds. She looked down on it with a wistful smile, "It's not really all that important, but it's something I'd really want to do."

Farran peeked over her shoulder, down at the picture she was holding. It was of a woman who, had Farran never met Yang, he could have assumed was her sister. The resemblance was astounding, as the woman had the almost the exact same hair as Ruby's, if a bit longer, as well as the same silver eyes. The woman was wearing a cloak just like Ruby's trademark red one, however hers was stark white. She looked down at her arms with the most beautiful, loving smile that Farran could ever remember seeing, down to a baby that she held, wrapped in a scarlet blanket. The baby was absolutely beaming, its gleeful coo forever frozen in time, silver eyes glued to the woman that held it.

"Ruby, is that…?"

She nodded, "This is my mom, Farran. Her name was Summer Rose. I'm sure you can probably guess, but the baby in the picture is me."

He tried to speak, trying to find any way to respond to her, but he just couldn't make a sound. Apart from Summer being absolutely breathtaking in the photo, the way she looked down at Ruby was beyond description. Farran started to feel a hollow emptiness welling up in his chest, and it felt like his heart just plummeted, but as to why, he wasn't sure. He started thinking of his own family, the fact that despite having been awake for almost three weeks now, nobody had come to Beacon looking for him. He couldn't help but wonder whether or not anyone had bothered to look at him the same way. Farran shook his head, cursing at himself for instantly jumping to that train of thought.

"She was the leader of her own team, you know. Mom, Dad, Uncle Qrow, and Yang's mom… They were all on the same team back when they were at Beacon." Ruby closed her eyes, "Dad always told us stories about Mom. She was such a strong woman and a great leader. When Ozpin told me I was going to be the one leading our team, I decided that I wanted to be just as good of a leader as she was. I mean, I think that's the standard I should hold myself to cause I'm her daughter. I owe her that much. You guys as well…"

"Well, I think it's a good goal to have." He clapped her on the shoulder, earning a smile from the shorter girl, "I take it that has something to do with what you wanted my help with today, then?"

"Yep! There's something Mom always used to do that I always wanted to try, but I never got the chance before."

"Alright, so where are we heading?"

"We're going into town. We need to stop at a grocery store, and when we get back, we're making cookies!" She stated matter-of-factly.

"Wait…" Farran stopped, staring at the back of her head, "Are you telling me, that you went through that whole emotional speech about your mom, just so that I would help you fuel your addiction?"

She wheeled on him, putting her hands on her hips and pouting, "It's not like that! One of the few things I can remember about my mom from when she was still around is that she would bake the best chocolate chip cookies on Remnant! She taught Yang how to make them, but before I was old enough, she… Anyway, I've been bugging Yang to teach me how for years, and she finally gave me the recipe. And…" She looked down, rubbing her forearm, "I'm just trying to get the same mindset she had. Mom was always so kind and motherly, not just to us, but to her own team. It just feels to me like Yang does way better than I do at filling that role, and I kinda figured making cookies for the team might help me start to get better at that."

"Hey, I never said I wasn't going to help." Farran walked past her, waving for her to follow, "I just hope you realize I don't know a damn thing about baking."

"That's alright. Neither do I!" Ruby skipped forward, keeping pace with him, "But the point is we're trying. Besides, it's not like we can screw up too bad when he have the recipe."

The two began the trek through the castle and across the emerald fields towards the airship dock, looking to catch a ride on the ship that normally ferried students back and forth between Beacon and Vale. As the duo passed by the gardens, a familiar head of silver-hair came in to view, the usual ponytail listlessly blowing in the breeze off to the side.

"Hey Weiss!" Ruby called to her, "How's it going?"

Weiss spun around, giving a wave as she saw them, "Hi Ruby, Farran. How did your appointment go? Everything alright?"

Farran nodded, "Yep, got the all clear from the doctor. Come tomorrow, I'm gonna be able to practice normally."

"Excellent. Looks like we'll be at full strength for combat practice from now on." Weiss shot him a sly grin, "I hope the layover hasn't affected you too much. I expect perfection out of our team, so you can't afford to be rusty."

"Funny you mention that, actually. My memory is a little fuzzy after you shot a lightning bolt at me, but I distinctly remember beating you in practice last week, even with damaged ribs and a bum knee."

Weiss opened her mouth to retort but Ruby, knowing this kind of banter would last all day if she let it go on, cut her off, "Anyway, what are you up to Weiss? I thought you said you were going to be doing the readings for Professor Oobleck's class."

"Oh, I was, but it turns out that he accidentally assigned the same readings as last week. And since I didn't have much else planned," she gestured down the sidewalk, "I figured I'd go for a walk. It's such a lovely day today after all. I was thinking of heading into town, but there's nothing in particular I need."

"Well, if you wanted to go into town, you could always come with Farran and I. We were planning on stopping by a grocery store for a few things. It'd be more fun if you decided to tag along!"

"Grocery store? What do you plan on getting? Yang is usually the one to stock the fridge, since she's the one who cooks for us."

"Ruby got ahold of her mom's cookie recipe, and she wants me to help her make them." Farran deadpanned.

Weiss raised an eyebrow at him, "And you seriously intend on satiating her habit?"

"It's not like that at all!" Ruby stamped her foot, "I know I like cookies more than the normal person, but you act like I can't go two days without them! Besides, I wasn't planning on making them for me. I was going to make them for you guys…"

"For us?" Weiss gaped at her, "Ruby, you don't need to do something like that for-"

"I know, but it's like you said. Yang cooks for us all the time, and makes us so much delicious food. Mom's cookies were the greatest when she was still around, and I just wanted to make something nice for you all." Ruby took a deep breath, calming herself, "I just figure doing something like that every now and then is something a good leader does. Keeps everyone's spirits up and everything."

"I see…" Weiss sighed, "Well, I appreciate the offer, but you do know I don't really know what I'm doing in the kitchen. I wasn't exactly allowed to cook for myself growing up, since we had servants and chefs to do it all for us."

"That's cool, neither do we." Farran shrugged, "Besides, if it's something you've never done before, wouldn't it be a good idea to give it a try? Since you don't have any other plans, at least."

Weiss mulled over his obvious hint, "What you say does have merit… and it's true I'm not busy at the moment… Alright. I'd be hard pressed to turn down your offer. Not to mention, I can hardly leave you two to your own devices now that I'm aware you know no more about cooking than I do. I'd prefer not to return to the dorm, only to find it up in flames, thank you."

"Cause we're any less likely to burn everything down with you around?"

"I may not know how to cook, but I do have common sense." She huffed, walking towards the dock, "Now, we should get going if we want to catch the next airship to Vale. Otherwise we'll be stuck waiting for an hour."

Ruby sped up in front of her, grabbing her by the hand, "Oh, thank you Weiss! This is gonna be so much fun!

She ran off, her fingers laced with Weiss' and pulling the silver-haired girl along, "H-Hey, Ruby! I'm perfectly capable of walking there in my own. You don't need to hold my hand!"

Laughing, Farran chased after his two teammates. Minutes later, they made it to the airship docks, and into the airship that would take them down to Vale, mere moments before it had been scheduled to leave. Finding some open seats for them, Farran sat down and started to rub his bad knee. While it wasn't all too far of a run, it was evidently far enough to aggravate it, and he could feel pinpricks of shooting pain starting to rise up across the joint. Having the chance to be seated for a while, he decided it would be best to put on the brace he had received earlier. He slid the brace up his leg and over his knee, and almost immediately he could feel a cooling effect that caused the pain to subside. He turned his leg back and forth, giving the brace a once over.

"Guess this is going to have to be normal for me now…" He muttered to himself.

"It could always be worse." Weiss lowered herself into the seat next to him, "You very easily could have lost your ability to walk at all."

"Yea, I know…"

"Farran, please. I know it must be extraordinarily difficult for you, and Dust knows what you must be going through. All I know is you mustn't dwell on the negative in situations like this. Someone important to me once told me that while injuries and scars can be devastating, at least it's preferable to losing what was damaged entirely. And even if you did, that is still a better option than losing your life." She pulled a compact from her bag, looking at herself in the mirror, "I know somewhat what you're going through. Having a permanent injury, something that will scar you for the rest of your life, is never easy, especially at our age. Even so, you need to take the good with the bad, and keep moving on."

Farran looked at the small mirror in her hand, seeing the reflection hover over her left eye, "Yea… You're right, Weiss. Thank you."

"No problem. We're teammates after all." She closed the compact and returned it to her bag as Ruby plopped down next to her, "If I let you suffer like that, it would start causing problems for everyone. We all need to look out for each other on occasions."

The rest of the ride to Vale proved to be quiet, with Farran looking out the window as the city drew nearer. From the airfield, it was just a short walk of a few blocks before they made it to a grocery store. Searching for the ingredients proved to be an adventure in and of itself, as the three of them were all inexperienced, it was almost a case of the blind leading the blind. However, the three of them as a team managed to babysit one another well enough that they were able to accomplish their mission. Farran and Weiss were able to corral Ruby into staying on task ("Ooh, look! Pumpkin Pete's are on sale!"), Ruby and Farran made absolutely sure that Weiss got the correct ingredients, as well as those within their price range ("Why are there so many different kinds of flour?! And whole wheat is healthier, wouldn't that be better?"), and Weiss and Ruby were able to prevent Farran from loitering around the liquor section ("Oh come on, I was just looking!"). Finally, after about an hour, they had reduced their list down to just one single ingredient.

"Honestly, Farran. You aren't even of age yet." Weiss scolded him, pushing the cart in front of her, "There's no point to you looking at alcohol if you can't even buy it."

"Hey, you gotta remember that this is all a learning experience for me. I was just surprised there was so many different kinds is all." He defended himself, indignantly, "Besides, I might not know too much about cooking, but I know for a fact that people use booze to cook all the time!"

"A learning experience does not include comparing prices. Not to mention, last I checked, there's not a single person on Remnant that bakes cookies with scotch!"

"Yea. Besides, you never cook with the top shelf stuff. Just as long as it has a good enough flavor, you don't need to get anything super expensive." Ruby looked back and forth at the stares from her teammates, "What?! My Uncle Qrow drinks all the time, and he's gotten into it with my dad a few times after he used his stash for cooking!"

"Moving on…" Weiss tried to change the subject, "We only have one more thing on our list, correct?"

"Yup! We just need to grab some maple syrup and then we're good to go!"

"Maple syrup?" Farran furrowed his brow, "You sure, Ruby? That doesn't sound like something that goes in a chocolate chip cookie."

"Of course I'm sure! The maple taste was the best part of them." Ruby waved the shopping list at him, "Besides, Yang's been making them for years, and she put it on the list. Now let's see here, the syrup should be right around… Whoa."

Ruby froze midway down the aisle way, he eyes wide as she stared at the shelf in front of her. She was soon joined by Farran and Weiss, who joined her in her surprise. The shelf was lined with all kinds of maple syrup, from all over Remnant. While this would normally solve their problem, each kind of syrup came exclusively in gallon jugs, far more than they could possibly use for the recipe, and each jug was priced far outside of the budget they had for this venture.

"I had no idea it could be so expensive…" Ruby gaped at the price tag, some jugs from Atlas reaching as much as thirty lien a piece, "We had syrup all the time back home…"

"Well… if it's any consolation Ruby, there's still the store brand syrup." Weiss pointed out, "I know it's not the same thing as pure maple syrup, but it's cheaper."

"You're right, Weiss." She reached out and grabbed a bottle, "And besides, even if we can't use all of it, I'm sure Ren could use it whenever Nora starts getting pancake cravings."

The final, secret ingredient secured, the group moved to start checking out. Once they got to the register, Ruby and Weiss started bickering over who would cover the cost, Ruby stating that since this was her project, she would be the one to pay, while Weiss argued that since Ruby was planning on making it for the whole team, she might as well let Weiss pay for some. Ruby eventually caved, letting Weiss pay for half of the bill. Farran, who was still penniless, apologized profusely for not being able to chip in as well, but both girls waved him off, stating that there would be more than enough opportunities for him to pay them back in the future, especially once they were allowed to start taking missions and start generating some sort of income. With their mission successful, and their bags of ingredients in tow, Ruby, Weiss, and Farran returned to the airstrip to await the next ship back to Beacon.

Back at the dorms, the group realized that, while they had won the battle at the grocery store, that was the easy part of this process. They still had the whole rest of the war left to go, and as they stared at the recipe in the dorm's kitchen, they realized just how out of their element they were. Still, refusing to let their shopping trip be in vain, Ruby gritted her teeth, and started getting her troops to work. For the next hour and a half, the trio attempted to get the batter just right, with numerous attempts resulting in the dry ingredients being mixed multiple varying amounts, the bag of flour being dropped by Ruby, covering them all in flour, their first perfect mixture being sprayed all over them due to underestimating the speed settings on the stand mixer, and the bag of flour being dropped a second time, this time by Weiss. Finally, with their first tray safely in the oven, the dishes cleaned, and the kitchen now removed of any signs of flour, the three of them plopped down on the couches next to the kitchen, tired, mentally drained, and stark white.

"Did you remember to set the timer, Ruby?" Weiss groaned, "We can't let them burn. I don't think my heart could take it at this point…"

"Yeah… I got it." Ruby raised her scroll to display the timer, her hand shaking, "We got about five minutes left."

"Well, at the very least… We did it, it's over, they're in the oven, the dishes are done, and…" Farran tried to get a stubborn clump of batter out of his hair, "We never have to do it ever again."

Weiss nodded, leaning forward, "Very true. So Ruby, are you happy you were able to make your mother's cookies for the first time?"

"Yea, I guess." She muttered, "But…"

"…But?" Weiss and Farran pressed her in unison.

"I know it's stupid, and in the end it doesn't matter all that much," Ruby tapped the tips of her index fingers together, "But it just doesn't feel the same as when Mom made them. When she made them, they were perfect on the first time, every time, and she made them all on her own while still watching me and Yang. I had the both of you, and I still couldn't do it perfectly. I'm sorry for dragging you both into it…"

Weiss gave her a questioning look, then started snickering, "Are you being serious, Ruby? Didn't you tell me right when you roped me into all this that neither of you had ever baked anything before? It doesn't matter how much inert talent you have in something, you're not going to be able to do it as well as someone who had a lifetime worth of practice on your first try."

"Seriously!" Farran leaned forward, "When you first asked me for help, I was expecting a mess like this the whole time. Hell, I was expecting worse after you invited Weiss along."

"Regardless," Weiss snapped at Farran, before returning a calm gaze to Ruby, "Neither of us expected this to go without speedbumps. Not to mention, I honestly never expected I would have such a fantastic time while also covered in filth. So really Ruby, if anything, I should be thanking you for inviting me along. This was much more enjoyable than spending the afternoon studying or walking through the gardens."

"Guys…" Ruby looked at them in disbelief, just as the alarm on her scroll sounded, "Oh! There's the first batch done. I'll go swap them out for the second."

Farran watched Ruby speed over to the oven, then shot a grin at Weiss, "All joking aside, thanks for coming along. It was nice having you with us, Weiss."

"No need to thank me. I was being serious when I said I had fun." She waved him off with a smile, "You were right, though. About me trying new things while I'm here at Beacon. My father would have an absolute fit if he ever saw me like this. Perhaps I'll ask Yang for cooking lessons in the future, just so I can take care of myself once we've graduated."

"There ya go! I told you it was possible to change your fate, and you've already started. Just let me know next time you want to do something like this."

"I wouldn't go that far just yet…" Her face started to drop until she looked at him, pointedly, "That being said, I was actually hoping you might be free tomorrow. Perhaps after class, you and I can review the readings for Dust Studies, then try something I've been thinking about for a while?"

"Of course, Weiss. I'll make sure to head right back here after class. Actually, I was planning on asking you if we could go over it again soon, too."

She nodded, watching as Ruby rejoined them, "Excellent. In any case, I'm going to get cleaned up. I can't afford Yang to see me like this. That brute would never let me live it down. I'll be back in a bit."

Ruby and Farran sat there on the couches for quite a while, just making general small talk and waiting for the rest of the cookies to bake. When Weiss finally returned, they each took turns returning to the room to wash up and change, thankful to finally be free of the mess of flour and batter their clothes had become. When the cookies had finally finished baking and cooling, they each tried a few while waiting for Yang and Blake to return. While Ruby admitted they weren't quite the same as the ones Summer Rose had made, they still turned out spectacular, especially given the lack of experience the three of them had. When their other two teammates returned, they agreed with the sentiment, Yang going so far as saying they had done a better job than she had ever done with the recipe. As Farran watched Ruby's elated face light up, and with the knowledge that he had helped her relive a cherished childhood memory of her mother, he felt a surge in his heart telling him that the bond between them had grown stronger.

* * *

"And as I'm sure you can see, the cooling principles of ice dust have many practical uses, beyond those of everyday life. Depending on the purity of the dust, even just a milligram of dust crystals are capable of dropping the temperature of a one meter cube down well below freezing when activated."

The next day, Farran was seated at the desk closest to his futon in Team RWBY's dorm room, with Weiss hovering over his shoulder, lecturing him over the readings Professor Peach had assigned. It had been two hours since class had let out, and Weiss was still going strong, pointing out all the advantages and finer points of ice dust. While not particularly fond of spending much more of his time in what essentially became a classroom setting, Farran had to admit that Weiss was quite a teacher on the subject. A lot of the subject matter wasn't even in the textbook, and yet she presented it in a way that was both informative and interesting. Despite her usual icy exterior, whenever he got stuck or had a question, she even took the time to break everything down into easier to understand parts. Even though he had initially not wanted her to tutor him, Farran was glad that Weiss insisted, as he was learning far more than he would have on his own.

"Hold on." Farran looked up from his notes, "A single milligram doing that much? That seems like a bit much for such a small amount."

"Dust crystals are very powerful, especially in their purest state. That's why they're used so frequently for use out of combat. Here," Weiss uncorked a bottle, letting the large, blue crystal inside slide out onto his palm, "While the crystals are generally used as powder, I'm sure a full one will serve my point. You see how it isn't any cooler than a stone you could find outside? Most chemicals that can be used to cool or freeze can be extremely harmful to human skin. That's why so many labs use ice dust instead, since it's much safer until it's been activated."

Farran returned the crystal to her and wrote down what she said in his notes, "Awesome. I think I got the picture on ice dust, how about we move onto gravity dust next?"

"Gravity dust? I suppose, but we won't be getting there for another few chapters. Wouldn't it be better if we-"

Weiss was stopped by a loud gurgling sound that came from behind Farran. Once he heard it, he turned around, resting his arm on the head of the chair, as he saw her furiously trying to hide a blush.

"If you're hungry, you should've just said something." He chided, "I know you disappeared during lunch, but you said you would make sure to eat something. Please don't tell me you didn't."

"Obviously I did! That noise didn't come from me." She huffed, but when she saw that Farran wasn't buying it, her face dropped, "Ok, fine. I forgot to go back and get something to eat. Satisfied?"

"Yea, but why didn't you say anything in the first place?

"It was none of your business! In any case, this is perfect." Weiss walked over to her bed and grabbed her bolero, "Since we've covered far more material than what was in the readings, I say we take a break for the night. Instead, there's someplace in town I wanted to go with you, if that's alright."

"Sounds good to me. I was starting to get hungry myself, actually." He leaned forward, grabbing his leather jacket from his futon, "Where did you want to go? I'm still broke, so I'd feel bad if we went to anyplace super fancy. Sorry…"

"No, it's perfectly alright. I knew what I was getting into when I invited you. Besides, it's nothing all too expensive. It's actually, well…" Weiss shuffled her feet, mumbling something he couldn't hear.

"I'm sorry? Didn't quite catch that." She mumbled again, "Ok, seriously Weiss. Just say it."

"Ugh. I want to go to Taste of Vale. That's all!" She spun on her heels, looking away from him.

"Taste of Vale? Isn't that the hole in the wall diner right by the airstrip?" She nodded, "Why would you want to go there?"

"I… Well… I heard one of the girls that sits by me in class mention it to her teammate. I guess she's been there with her boyfriend a few times, and the place has great hamburgers. I…" She took a deep breath, "As much as I hate to admit it, I've never eaten one before, so…"

"Wait, you've never had a burger before?"

She shook her head, "Remember how I told you that I was never allowed to cook for myself? Well, I wasn't exactly allowed to choose what I ate either. That was all planned by the family chef, and approved by my father. So things your average person would normally eat are completely foreign to me, while the kinds of dishes most would only get at high class restaurants were commonplace. Not that I minded for the most part, save for my father's insistence on having foie gras on a weekly basis."

"Hey, you don't gotta explain it to me. If you want to go get a burger, then we'll go get some burgers." He got up and opened the door.

"I-I see. Thank you, I honestly wasn't expecting you to be so understanding about it. At the very least, I thought there'd be at least one snide comment about my upbringing." She followed him out into the hall.

"Not a chance! Honestly, it isn't even me being understanding. If it weren't for this small part of my mind going, 'A burger? Yeah, I've had one before' I would've assumed I was in the same boat. I never really made it a priority since I woke up, after all. Besides, if I was planning on making fun of you for every little thing you'd never done before, I wouldn't have offered in the first place."

"That's true. I really do appreciate it Farran, and... Oh, hi Blake."

Weiss' attention was momentarily stolen by the appearance of their amber-eyed teammate, who gave them a small wave as she got closer, "Hey guys. Where are you two headed?"

"Just heading to catch an airship." Farran returned her wave, "We're going to Taste of Vale for some burgers."

"The Schnee family heiress going to some dive for some burgers?" Blake chortled, "I never thought I'd see the day."

Weiss scoffed, "I don't see how my family's status affects where I choose to eat, thank you very much."

"Still, you can come with us if you want, Blake." Farran offered lamely.

"O-Oh, come with you? Thanks for the invitation but I just ate." Blake shrugged, "Sorry, but you two have fun. I'll see you later, ok?"

With that she disappeared around them and into the dorm room. The two decided to just shrug it off and make their way down to the airship, and eventually, down to Vale. Sitting right across the main road from the airstrip sat a line of buildings containing a variety of shops, restaurants, and cafés, including their destination. Taste of Vale was a typical, family owned diner, normally boasting a friendly atmosphere to Beacon students and travelers to and from the airstrip alike. Since it was a Monday evening, the normal atmosphere was replaced with light-hearted emptiness, as most Beacon students preferred to utilize the campus facilities during the early weekdays, and most travel through the airstrip was done in the afternoon or throughout the night. Still, Farran noticed that the peace of the vacant diner seemed to suit Weiss, as she had remained uptight and rigid throughout the entire trip there, but calmed down considerably once they were seated. A waitress that seemed about their age brought them their menus, giving them a smile as she left them to contemplate their orders.

"So tell me, Weiss." Farran set his menu on the table in front of him, "Seriously, why were you so embarrassed to tell me you were hungry earlier?"

"You really enjoy pestering me about my personal business, don't you?" She mouthed, monotone, as she continued to scan the menu.

He raised an eyebrow, "You realize the entire reason you and I are sitting here right now is  _because_  I did that, right? Otherwise, you would've been sitting in the dorm all night studying."

She gave him a disgruntled look, but ultimately set her menu down as well, "You promise you won't laugh?"

"I promise I'll at least try not to."

"That's about the most I can expect from this team, I suppose." She took a deep breath, "When I was young, whenever I would get so focused or excited about something, I would forget to go to meals and eat. Naturally, neither of my parents said anything, whether they even noticed or cared is beyond me, but my older sister would incessantly tease me about it."

"Your older sister…" Farran thought back a bit, "That was… Winter, wasn't it?"

"Yes, that's right. I'm surprised you remembered her name. I even forgot that I brought her up to you in the first place." A nostalgic look crossed her face as she fidgeted with her napkin, "Winter was truly my best, and only, friend that I had back then. Well, save for our head butler, Klein. He always made sure to take expert care of us. Even as she became colder and more distant as we grew older, she still made sure she took the time to look out for me. I'd go so far as to say that I never would have had the strength to leave if it wasn't for her. Certainly, she cared more for me than mother or father ever did…"

"So, you said that you'd forget to eat whenever you got focused or excited, right? Was that what happened to you today? You ran off almost as fast as Ruby once morning classes ended."

"Yes, I… Well, it's a bit embarrassing to admit, but I honestly am really happy to have your help with doing all of this, both yesterday and today. I wanted to make absolutely sure that I was prepared to tutor you to the best of my abilities this evening. It may be something I learned from my father, but I was always taught not to let a debt go unpaid, so I needed to be at my best." She watched as Farran stared at her, then started chuckling, "Hey, you said you wouldn't laugh!"

"I said I would  _try._ " He stifled the rest of his laughter, "Weiss, I'm gonna level with you. You don't owe me a debt or anything. These are the kinds of things friends do together. You said it yourself yesterday, we have to help each other out from time to time."

"We're friends? When did that happen?"

"I mean, wouldn't you say we are? We've certainly blown right past the acquaintanceship step by now. You and I share a room, we're friends with the same people… Hell, how many heart-to-hearts have we had so far? I'd say that makes us friends."

"But I haven't done anything to earn your friendship." She stared at her menu on the table with concern in her eyes, "Yours or the rest of our team's."

The waitress returned to their table, oblivious to the conversation at hand, "Can I take your order?"

"Oh, right! I'll have the…" Farran scanned the menu, "Atlas Burger? With onion rings and a cola to drink."

"Alright… How about you, miss?" She turned to Weiss.

"I'll have the same, just with water, thank you." Weiss handed her the menus.

The waitress went to write it down, then stopped, "Are you sure, miss? That burgers a bit on the large side, and…"

"I think I can manage, thank you." She gave the waitress a curt smile, who wrote down their orders and left.

Once she was out of earshot, Farran leaned forward, "Listen, Weiss. You don't need to earn friendship. Don't take this the wrong way, but what kind of life did you have that made you think that was the case?"

"One where I never had friends." Her reply was hollow, soulless, "The closest thing I had were people who wanted to get close to me to earn my father's favor. Whether it was money they wanted, or an arranged marriage between me and their son… That's just how things were. Even my younger brother, Whitley, never approached me without an ulterior motive. Granted, he was subjected to worse brainwashing from my father than I ever was… I withdrew myself from that life, to the point where I only had Winter and Klein. Then, when I was old enough, I scraped and clawed my way here."

"…What do you mean? I know you said your father was angry, but he couldn't exactly stop you, could he?"

She laughed half-heartedly, "Oh he could, and he did. He tried at least. When I first told him, he threatened to never let me leave the Schnee family manor again until my wedding day. Of course, once he calmed down, he came to me with a different proposition. I would be allowed to go to Beacon, if I proved myself strong enough to survive on my own. Winter trained me relentlessly, until she left herself. Then my training was left in the hands of one of my father's puppets, who gave me tasks that should have been impossible." She reflexively rubbed the scar over her left eye, "Needless to say, I proved myself, even if my father says otherwise. Since it became obvious he made the deal under false pretenses, I left the first chance I could."

Farran sat in silence, trying to find the right words, "Weiss, I'm… I'm sorry for bringing it up. I didn't want to ruin something fun by forcing out bad memories."

"No, it's quite alright. In all honesty, being able to talk about all of this for the first time has been quite cathartic." Her lips curled into a genuine smile.

"I'm glad it helps, at least. And if it helps at all, you do have friends now. And not just me, you've got our team and-"

"Well look what we have here!" Farran was cut off by a chipper voice from the door. He craned his neck to see Yang bounding over to them with Blake in tow, looking so much like a cat that was being forced into the tub. Yang grabbed a chair and pulled it up to their booth, "I couldn't believe it when I heard it, but you really got the Ice Queen of Beacon to try some regular person food? You really are a miracle worker, Farran."

"I don't see why my choice of cuisine is so entertaining to you." Weiss huffed, "And why are you here, Blake? I thought you said you didn't want to come."

"I didn't. "She pulled a chair up next to Yang's, "I was reading in the room when a certain someone came home. When I told her where you two went, she insisted on dragging me along with her."

"Well, I'm sorry for being a bother." Yang feigned offense to her comment, "You were seriously just going to sit there and read, and let a once in a lifetime opportunity slip by? This is her first burger we're talking about here! So how'd you do it Farran? How did you convince Weiss Schnee herself to come here?"

Weiss tried to stop him from saying anything, but Farran ignored her protests, "I didn't. Weiss was the one who asked me to come in the first place."

Yang gaped at him, looking back and forth between the two as if waiting for the punchline, "You're serious?"

"Completely. Oh, and here comes our food."

The waitress returned, carrying a tray with their meals. She set the burgers and drinks in front of them, and then busied herself with getting Yang and Blake's orders. The waitress was not kidding when she said the burger was huge. Farran knew it would fill him up easily, but for Weiss, he had no idea what she would do. With her dainty figure, the burger would easily fill her twice over.

"Are you going to eat, or are you just planning on staring at me all night?" Weiss chided him.

"Oh, right. Sorry." He started eating as the waitress left to the back.

"So, Weiss. Why exactly would you ever want to come here? This really isn't…" Blake paused, watching as she took her first bite, "Schnee family quality food."

Weiss rolled her eyes, waiting until she swallowed before she responded, "I'll have you know Blake, I was hardly satisfied from the view of my ivory tower known as the Schnee Family Manor. Now that I'm away from there, I would like to pursue my own interests, without the authorization of anyone else. Also, while the quality of the ingredients here certainly fall below the standard I'm used to, I can hardly deny that this is, in fact, a tasty burger."

Farran looked over to Yang and Blake as he ate, studying their reaction. Yang was all smiles, as if Weiss's statement was the best news she had heard all day. Blake's face, on the other hand, was completely blank, as if she herself was not entirely sure what she should be feeling. They sat in silence as Weiss and Farran ate, until the waitress brought Yang and Blake's orders. Farran had to admit that Weiss was right, the burger was fantastic, and whoever it was that she overheard in class made an excellent recommendation. He was about to take another bite of his sandwich, with only a quarter of it left, when he looked up at Weiss, and the sight nearly made him drop it. She was sitting there, softly dabbing her napkin at the corner of her mouth, her burger nowhere in sight, and only a handful of onion rings remaining. It didn't take long for Yang and Blake to notice as well, as the two began to gape at her.

"W-What?!" Weiss stammered indignantly when she noticed the stares.

"Guys…" Farran looked over to Yang and Blake, "I think I'm in love."

"Me too, Farran. Me too." Yang nodded solemnly.

"D-Don't say such ludicrous things out of the blue! Your joking is not needed or appreciated." Weiss's face turned a shade of red Ruby's cloak would be jealous of, "It's only natural that I would finish first, I haven't eaten all day!"

With Weiss's chagrin bringing much needed levity back to the table, Yang, Weiss, and Farran spent the rest of the evening talking and joking as they ate, Blake sitting with them, a neutral smile on her face. When it came time for them to leave, Weiss attempted to pay the bill, only to be stopped by Yang, who said she would pay it, citing the sight of the Schnee family heiress chowing down on her first burger as being more than enough to pay her back. On the airship back to campus, Farran sat next to Weiss, watching his happy, if now feeling a bit bloated, teammate sitting with a satisfied smile. He could feel his heart surge, much like it had the day before, letting him know that their bond had been strengthened.


	7. Diamond Dust

While he could never be sure, due to the memory loss that plagued him so much since he woke up, but Farran was as close to sure as he could be that he had never felt as anxious as he did today. Every minute seemed to last an eternity, and he found himself staring more at the clock throughout the day than he did at his notes. A fact that was not missed by Weiss who, after the first hour or so, started to elbow him in the ribs every time he looked away from the notebook in front of him. He would never admit it, but he was impressed by just how accurate her aim was becoming. At lunch, Ruby pulled him aside to remind him that until they were ready to bring any of their teammates into the Metaverse with them, they couldn't afford to act abnormal and risk them catching onto the fact that something was up. He knew she was right, and made it a point to keep calm and act normal. Not that it made the day go any faster.

Finally, Professor Goodwitch ended their class for the afternoon, assigning them homework and allowed them to leave. Team RWBY returned to their dorm room to change out of their uniforms. Now in their usual attire, Weiss, Blake and Yang bid Ruby and Farran farewell as they departed for their previously made plans, leaving the two of them alone. It only took a shared nod between the two for them to grab their weapons and prepare. Once they were sure that the coast was clear, they left the dorm room, heading for the alleyway where they first entered the Metaverse.

The alley was just the same as it had been the week before, save for the appearance of a large pile of shipping containers in the far right corner. Since their last trip, Farran had learned that this alley was meant to be a storage area for these containers, which he had grown far more used to them than he would ever care to admit in such short time. Wherever the professors of Beacon would spend a large amount of time, these containers were sure to be bunched together, waiting to be disposed of. Each Professor had their own interests and hobbies which would be satisfied by these packages, whether their own order or sent by friends and alumni. Professor Oobleck, for example, was a connoisseur of coffee from all over Remnant, and would always be willing to share a cup with curious students, whereas Professor Peach had near daily deliveries of weapons parts and magazines. Had Farran not seen it himself, he would not have believed Professor Port to be a man so infatuated show tunes. Even Professor Goodwitch received regular packages, although the contents and even the sender were a closely guarded secret, one which remained a highly debated topic between student and staff alike. No one would even know she received a package until it was left outside of her office, all shipping information carefully blasted off the container.

Unfortunately, the alley was meant to be cleaned every Tuesday afternoon, with all these containers being sent to disposal, which meant they needed to work fast. Farran pulled out his scroll, opening it and activating the app. To his surprise, it didn't immediately start playing the video as it had before. Instead, it opened to a screen with a number of tabs, the top of which displayed a still from the video that had played previously. The top right corner held a blue button, with a stylized "M" emblazoned on it. Farran thought to try pressing the video tab first, which caused the video to replay.

"I guess that means we can watch it over again…" He muttered, "Not that I really would ever want to."

Ruby nodded, "Then that 'M' button must be how we get to the Metaverse from now on. We'll have to make sure we keep the app open, just in case we need to get out in a hurry."

"Right…" Farran lowered himself onto one of the sturdier plastic containers, "You know, you don't have to come along, Ruby. It's gonna be-"

"Stop." She put a finger over his mouth, promptly shutting him up, "We went over this already. I'm coming with you, dummy. Whether you like it or not. I'm not gonna sit here and let you die alone."

"I know, but-" She bopped him on the head, giving him as much of a glare as she could muster, "Fine. I get it. So, are you ready to get going?"

She nodded, taking a seat on the container next to Farran. Back on the home screen of the app, Farran pressed the blue button, but before the bright light could envelope them, he heard the sound of footsteps charging from around the corner, into the alleyway and right at them. He tried to stop the app, hammering the exit button and even trying to close the scroll in general, but nothing worked and the scroll wouldn't budge. Right before the light covered them completely, he felt someone grab his arm and try to yell something, but by then, the gales of wind were already whipping by them, the transportation process started. It wasn't long before he felt their world fall away around them, leaving them to the void of light between their world and the Metaverse.

* * *

Once he felt the ground rematerialize under him, and the light from his scroll faded away, Farran was immediately dragged face to face with the stowaway, their purple irises mere inches away from his face. Yang Xiao Long stood in front of him, gripping him tight by the collar, snarling up at him. Her hair started glowing, and her eyes started turning red, which Farran had realized in recent days were the warning signs of her semblance activating, which meant pain was certainly soon on the way.

Ruby zipped over between them, forcing the two apart, "Yang?! What are you doing here? Were you following us?"

"Of course I was! You're not exactly sneaky Ruby, especially when you're excited. I needed to know why the hell my new,  _male_ teammate was setting up private meetings with my baby sister in the library and some alley where… where…" Yang's look of fury quickly devolved into one of fear and panic as she took in her surroundings, "…Where are we?"

"Yang, just stay calm and-"

"Stay calm? Stay calm?! How can I stay calm?! What happened to Beacon?! To Vale?!" She spun around, looking at the devastation that was this new world, "Was there a Grimm attack?! Then what the hell is this factory?! We were just in that alley, and that light came out of your scroll and… and… Farran Park, what the hell did you do?!"

"Yang, just be quiet for a second!" Farran hadn't meant to raise his voice so much, but it had the intended effect, as the blonde quietly sunk to her knees, "Just calm down and I'll explain everything."

Farran started from the beginning, from his first meeting with Igor after he had just woken up. He explained everything they knew about this world, about Richards and Cardin, about Shadows, and about Personas. He told her about how he had faced his other self, awakening to his Persona, and how Ruby had done the same. In the middle of his story, Viola appeared by them out of the same blue fire she had come from the other day. While it did add to her shock and confusion, seeing the girl with yellow eyes from his story seemed to help Yang accept what Farran was saying. To drive it all home, Farran opened the app and showed her the video that started it all, showing her definitively why they were here. Finally, once he had explained everything they had knowledge of to this point, Yang finally seemed to calm down.

She took a deep breath, "So… I'm not entirely sure I understand it, but you're saying this world is inside that creep's heart? And that these Shadow things and how messed up this place is… They're all due to how he sees the world? Cause his desires make him see it this way? And by defeating his Shadow, you'll change his heart and save Velvet…"

Farran nodded, "That's right. Remember last week when Cardin came over to our table and apologized? That's because I defeated his Shadow the day I went missing. If we can do the same to Richards's Shadow, the same thing will happen to him."

"Then why didn't you come to us, Farran? We're your team! And it's not like any of us like Richards, or the way Vel gets treated, any more than you do."

"I know, and I'm sorry Yang. But really, would you believe a word I just said if you didn't see it all for yourself? I mean look at this place!" He shot a hand over towards the destroyed town in the distance, "Besides, this place is dangerous. I didn't want to bring any of you guys in here until we had a clear place where you wouldn't have to worry about Shadows."

"Oh, so this place is so dangerous that you wouldn't tell three of your teammates about it, who are training to be Huntresses, yet you would go ahead and bring in my baby sister like it's no big deal?" She growled up at him.

"Yang, please!" Ruby pleaded, "It's not Farran's fault. He had no idea what was going to happen the last time. Neither of us did. But now that I know just what this place is, and what's going to happen to Velvet, I can't just sit by and do nothing! I've awakened to my Persona, and I'm going to fight, whether you or Farran like it or not."

"Then why don't you go to Ozpin, then! You guys can apparently play that video as many times as you want, so just show him! He's the Gods damned headmaster! I'm sure if anyone can do something about it, he could."

"Excuse me, Miss… um?" Viola, who had been standing silently off to the side, stepped in.

"Oh, I'm Yang. Yang Xiao Long."

"Excellent. My name is Viola, one of the residents of the Velvet Room our dear guest spoke of earlier." She bowed elegantly, "Miss Yang, I know it must be difficult to comprehend all this in such short of time. However, if showing the video to your headmaster was an option, we most certainly would have had them do so already. As we learned last time, the ruler of this Palace knows a very important secret of his, one that would cause him to allow all these illicit activities under his watch. Even if we showed him the video, he most likely would be unable to act."

"I suppose you've got a point…" She muttered, thinking, "What about leaking it to the media? If there's enough of an outcry, he'd have to fire Richards!"

"I doubt it. Shadow Richards said whatever it was is 'world changing'. Ozpin would probably do whatever it takes to keep his secret, even if it meant keeping someone so toxic around. Hell, he's kinda doing that already." Farran frowned, "All leaking it to the media would do is make people lose faith in Beacon. Anyone looking to become a Huntsman would go to the other academies, and worse, all the negativity would cause more Grimm attacks. Besides, it would throw Velvet right into the spotlight. And that's even if anyone did believe the video was legit."

"Yea… Ok, but what if-"

Farran cut her off, "Look Yang, I'm not any more of a fan of all this than you are. I've spent all week looking for any other way to stop this, but there isn't anything! I don't want to drag any of you guys in here. Hell, if Ruby wouldn't fight me tooth and nail about it, I wouldn't bring her." He rubbed his neck nervously as Ruby glared at him, "Anyway, now that you know, what do you plan on doing? We'd really appreciate your help, but obviously you don't have to."

"Well, if you put it that way…" She stood up with a cocky smirk, "Obviously I'm gonna help you two! Are you kidding me? Now that the cat's outta the bag, you really think I'm just gonna sit around and do nothing? Hell no! So, what's the plan for today?"

Ruby looked at Farran, then back to Yang, "Well, for today, we're going to send you back home."

She frowned, "No, I'm staying right here. You guys just got done talking about how dangerous this world is. I'm not going to let you guys handle all of this on your own!"

"Yang, that's the whole reason we're sending you back!" Farran put up a hand to stop her, "I get where you're coming from, I really do, but you didn't bring Ember Celica with you, and you haven't awoken to your Persona yet. I don't care how strong you are, you don't stand a chance against the Shadows right now. I promise, the next chance we get, we'll bring you with us so you can get your Persona, once we're sure we have a safe place for you. Until then, we don't want you getting hurt."

She stared at him hard for a few seconds, "You promise you'll bring me with you? No more lying to me and trying to hide all this?"

"We promise, Yang!" Ruby gave her a small hug, "We didn't want to lie in the first place, but we couldn't think of any other way."

"…Alright. I'll go home, but just for today." Yang let out a small laugh, "You know something? I thought you were lying about what happened when you disappeared. After Ruby went missing, I checked that alleyway like five times. I just didn't say anything cause it was possible that might have been after she took you to the infirmary. Then she gets all excited the other day and sneaks off to the library to meet you. I thought I was going to have to break up my little sister's first make out session." She sent Ruby a wink, much to her chagrin, "But when I got up there, I overheard a bit of your conversation through the vent. Not much of it made sense, but I did hear the part about you meeting in the alley today. So I made sure to hide out nearby, and jumped you when I got the chance. Had no idea you guys were involved in anything like… this. But yeah, I'm done snooping around. Just be careful, alright?"

Ruby and Farran nodded, as they prepared to send her to the real world. Viola instructed Farran to activate the app while it was facing her, which would send her back without him having to make two trips. She explained that the only reason Yang was brought with them is because she was making contact with Farran when they left. He did as he was instructed, and when the light faded from his scroll once more, Yang had disappeared back to their world, as if she had never been there at all.

"Alright," Farran turned back to the two remaining girls, "What's the game plan here? We just need to get a keycard from one of the Shadows, right?"

Viola nodded, "Correct. I did a little looking around on my own earlier, and it seems after our last trip, the Palace ruler has holed himself up in the top of the tower, with most of his guards staying up there as well. There is a small contingent patrolling the factory, but nothing we need to worry about, so much as we don't raise too much alarm. We will probably have to take on a few of them, but that shouldn't be too much of a problem. Farran, when we do get into battle, you're going to need to add some of those Shadows as Personas. The more diverse your skills, the better off we'll be."

"Alright, great! Just one thing…" He ran a hand through his hair, "How exactly do I do that? You guys never really explained it."

"I… honestly have no idea." She smiled sheepishly, "Each user of the Wild Card has done things differently. I have a feeling once the opportunity presents itself, your instincts will show you the way. I'm sorry I can't be of any more help. If Elizabeth or Margaret were here they could probably help, but…"

"Hey, don't worry about it. We'll just have to cross that bridge when we get there. So, how about we get going before anyone spots us out here?"

Ruby and Viola agreed with his sentiment, and the three proceeded through the metal doors into the factory. The lobby inside was just as vacant as it had been the last time, phone still ringing off the hook on the receptionist's desk. Farran started to wonder just what would happen if he were to answer it, whether or not there would be a voice on the other end. Before he could entertain that thought any more, Viola directed them through a set of doors off to the left. As she explained, the doors to their right would lead to a corridor heading into the main floor of the factory, while the path they would take was a designated passage for guards, leading to a catwalk that overlooked the factory floor. While there might be more guards at the start, she elaborated, walking through the factory floor would raise the alarm far more.

The doors opened up into a dull, gray hallway the length of which was lit up by panels of tube lights. Various paintings, motivational posters, and cork boards covered in memos had been left plastered every few feet on the walls. For as warped and twisted as the world outside had been, the inside of the factory, at least that which he had seen, seemed eerily similar to the usual office fare to Farran, almost as if he could walk into any place of business in Vale and find a hallway that was almost an exact followed the hall down to a flight of stairs leading up, which in turn led to an outcropping with a set of double doors in front of them, a keypad much like the one by the elevator hung next to it, and a small office to the left. Viola ordered them to post up outside the office, taking a peek inside.

"Ok, here's the plan." She whispered to the two of them, "Those doors lead to the catwalk, but unfortunately we'd need a keycard to get through it, just like the elevator. Thankfully, there should be another way through in this office, but there's a Shadow standing guard right inside. Farran, I'm going to need you to take point. When the Shadow turns its back to the door, run in and rip the mask off its face. That should dispel the distortions around it, and transform it into the real forms of the Shadows that make it up. Ruby and I will come in after you do that, just so we don't make too much noise and alert it. Any questions?"

They both shook their heads, and started moving into position. Farran kept watch over the Shadow, which paced back and forth in the office, muttering about production being slowed. After a few minutes, it finally turned its back to the door, taking a look at a monitor on the far wall. Seeing his chance, Farran bolted into the room, and before the Shadow could turn around, he reached over its shoulder, grabbed its mask, and pulled. Despite not having any sort of binding to the Shadow, pulling the mask off felt like trying to free something from hardened concrete. Still, after a bit of effort, the mask finally came off with a horrifying tearing sound. His first goal accomplished, Farran took a few steps back as Ruby and Viola rushed in to join him, watching the guard collapse into a pile of black ooze and transform.

The pile of ooze stretched and shifted, turning itself into a group of four Shadows, three of which were the same Slimes they had fought the previous time. The fourth, however, was one that had not seen before, transforming into a small, floating, cartoonish humanoid, almost completely covered in a purple robe. The robe had a small hole around the Shadows face where two beady red eyes leered out, the rest of its facial features blocked by the shadow of its straw conical hat. This new Shadow seemed to be in charge, as when it swung the wooden oar it held in its gloved hands, the Slimes started to attack.

The first charged directly at Farran, forcing him to dodge. Having been in dire straits the last time they fought, Farran had completely missed the fact that these Shadows stunk to high heaven. As he moved out of the way, the wind that rushed past him was filled with the odor of spoilt milk and sulfur. Ruby summoned Lupa, who reared back and struck it with a gale of wind, tearing it apart. The wind whipping by Farran carried the smell, forcing him to cover his nose and mouth. He turned to see one of the Slimes preparing to charge Ruby, but before it could move, he summoned Abel, who launched a spell of his own, nuclear energy exploding from the side of the Shadow, and crackling outwards. With two of the Shadows down, Farran started to feel confident, only for a chill to fall over him, as if the hands of Death itself were wrapped around him. He scanned the room, looking where this might be coming from, but Viola called to him, telling him to dodge. He moved away just as a wave of dark energy surged from the ground beneath his feet, a spell from the remaining Slime, before fizzing from existence. Ruby summoned Lupa, sending the wolf charging at the Shadow, and cleaving it in two with its scythe.

With just the leader left, Farran spun to face it, only to find the Shadow lifting its oar above its head. Before he could react, he felt a burst of cold rocket into his chest, followed by searing pain along his chest and arm, as if he was being prodded with needles. He looked down to find a large ice crystal expanding by his collarbone, the chill deepening for a few seconds before it disappeared. Ruby brought forth Lupa again, who charged the Shadow, only for it to smash its oar across Lupa's face with a mighty crack. Despite her Persona being the one who was struck, Farran could see Ruby flinch back, holding her jaw as if she had been hit. The Shadow flew towards her, bringing its oar hard against her ribs. Ruby fell to a knee, but summoned Lupa again, who reared back and howled, sending a burst of wind at the Shadow, and knocking it back several feet. The Shadow brought its oar above its head again, looking to send another ball of ice at Ruby, but before it could do so, Farran called out Abel, who swung his spear, striking the Shadow, and knocking the oar out of its hands. Now in between the two Persona users, and its weapon clear across the room, the Shadows eyes darted around in a panic, looking for some way to defend itself.

With the Shadow now defenseless, Farran tried to finish it, but froze, feeling almost like he had déjà vu. He looked down at his right hand, only to see the manacles that normally appeared when he would summon Abel had manifested themselves, however they were only connected to one wrist this time. He looked at the Shadow, then back to the chains, then to the Shadow, when an idea finally came to him.

"Shadow!" He called to it, startling it, but it turned to him nonetheless, "You're not some slave of this Palace's owner. You are not bound to stay and fight for him. Please, remember what it is you truly are." The Shadow tilted its head, blinking at him, "You are a being that exists in the souls of everyone. We'll spare you, but I ask that you fight with us from now on. Do we have a deal?"

The Shadow brought its gloved hands to its face, as if it were in pain. After a few seconds, it looked up at Farran with a serious look, as far as he could tell at least, and nodded. Farran tossed the free end of his manacles to it, which bound itself around the Shadow. Soon, both were enveloped in a bright light, then disappeared. Despite no real signs to tell him so, Farran could feel that it had worked. He had gained the strength of a new Persona.

After Lupa had finished healing her, Ruby zipped over to Farran, "So? Did it work? Did you get a new Persona?"

"It sure feels like it. I can't really explain why," He looked at his wrist, "but I just felt like I knew what I was doing."

"Why don't you try bringing it out?" Viola offered, "Just picture it in your mind, then summon it just like you would Abel."

Farran did as she asked, closing his eyes and picturing the purple robes, straw hat, and wooden oar of the Shadow he had just defeated. When he opened them again, he noticed the chains had once again appeared around his wrists. He took a deep breath, and snapped them apart, "Come forth! Charon!"

Just like every time he had summoned Abel, a circle of blue light appeared in front of him, and when it had vanished, the Shadow he had forged a contract with, Charon, floated in the middle. Its beady red eyes scanned the room, then hovered over to Farran with a look of confusion. Almost as soon as she saw his new Persona, Ruby dashed over to it, and Farran could see stars in her eyes.

"Awww, it's so cute! Hi there, little one!" She cooed, as Charon took refuge behind Farran, shaking, "Oh, it's ok! You can come out. I'm not gonna hurt you."

Charon shook its head and started chittering in Farran's ear. Despite not being able to speak, Farran realized he could somehow understand it, "Charon says they're afraid you're mad that they hit you, Ruby."

"Oh, don't worry about me! I know you weren't yourself. Come here little buddy!" Charon looked at her, then started tentatively floating forward towards her. Once it was within arm's reach, Ruby lunged for it, wrapping her arms around it and petting the back of its head. After a few seconds of struggling in panic, Charon calmed down considerably, and started softly chirring and snuggling into Ruby's hug. She giggled, "See? Everything's alright little one. I'm jealous, Farran. I think they like me!"

"It's no surprise they've taken a liking to you though, Ruby." Viola drifted over to her, "Charon is a Persona of the Death Arcana, the one you represent. Meaning, little Charon here is a representation of the bond you two share!"

"That makes sense. Of course you'd get a cute little Persona to represent me." Ruby finally let go of Charon, beaming. With one last chitter, it vanished in a blue light, just as it came.

"In any case, I must commend you two. Considering our last visit was rather chaotic, this was your true first battle together on this side. You both performed rather admirably, all things considered. Therefore, I think it's best if I give you a reward!" Viola extended her hands towards them, producing a bundle of Lien.

"…You're paying us? What for?" Ruby furrowed her brow.

"Well, I'm not paying you, per se. These were dropped by the Shadows after they were defeated. I hardly have any use for them, so I only see it fitting to give them to you."

"Wait, hold on." Farran stopped her, "What the hell were Shadows doing with Lien? What do they need money for over in this world?"

"I think it's quite simple. For better or for worse, money is the driving force for most desires in your world. When you dispel the distortions around the Shadows, they reform into the base form of those desires." She handed the bunch of cards to Farran, "In any case, it's all as well, since you can use these when you're strengthening your bonds!"

Ruby nodded, smirking, "She's right, Farran. I'll let you hang on to the Lien we get here, at least for a while. You  _are_  broke after all."

"Hilarious. Anyway, Viola…" Farran scanned the office, "How exactly are we going to get through to the catwalk. I don't see any other doors in here."

"Isn't it obvious? We're going through there!" She pointed at the top of the far wall.

Farran followed where she was directing, seeing a metal grate hanging loosely, "An air vent? Really? This isn't an action movie, Viola."

"Hey, it's not my fault! This is the world of people's cognition, remember? Well, it's a common enough idea in your world that air vents act as secret passageways. Probably because it's so prevalent in movies. Besides, didn't you come through one to get to that maintenance platform?"

"That was a  _crawlspace_. There's a difference."

"Farran, we're not having this debate right now. Just go pull that grate off, ok?" She deadpanned.

Knowing there was no point in arguing, Farran activated his semblance and flew over to vent. The pulled the grate off without much trouble, letting him see into the vent. Thankfully, there wasn't much in the way of cobwebs or dust, and he could hear the soft hum of machinery, no doubt coming from the factory floor. Farran looked back to the two girls on the ground, "Alright, so how exactly are we going to work this?"

Viola looked at Ruby, then back to Farran, awkwardly twirling a strand of hair, "Well, I don't exactly like it, but you're going to have to lift us up, then come in after us. If there were any desks or counters in here, we could just climb up on our own, but…" She shook her head, blushing, "Just don't look forward, ok?"

Farran sighed, lowering himself down to the ground. While lifting the girls into the vent wasn't exactly strenuous, both girls were actually quite light, there were other reasons for his frustration, especially when he followed Ruby into the vent.  _It's bad enough that I'm stuck living with the four of them, and that Yang thinks jokingly flirting with me is the funniest thing ever, but now this. I'm trying_ not  _to make things super awkward for all of us, but come on! How exactly am I not supposed to notice how nice Viola's legs are, and how criminal it is she hides them behind that dress all the damn time? Or just how good Ruby looks from this angle? Or- No, brain, stop! I'm not thinking about this!_  He brought a closed fist to the side of his head, the dull, throbbing pain forcing himself to focus on the mission at hand. As they crawled through the vent, the hum of machines started growing into a roar, the metal underneath them vibrating slightly. Finally, he saw a light start to grow ahead of them as Viola, and then Ruby, fell out of view.

Soon, he pulled himself out of the vent, lowering down to the ground next to them. They stood in the middle of a metal catwalk that hung close to the factory's ceiling, steel handrails raised to waist height on either side of them. From what he could tell, they were about halfway through the factory. Farran strode to one side, peering down to the factory floor below. Large vats of noxious, green liquid sat at the far end, producing crystals that looked much like giant, bastardized versions of the dust crystals Weiss had shown him. The liquid seemed to be piped in from another area, which was probably the cause of the fumes that blotted out the sky outside, as the smell of the factory was much like that of the clouds. The crystals were dropped onto conveyor belts, which hauled them off to machines that crushed them into the fine, white powder they had seen in the video, which in turn was hauled off into another portion of the factory he was unable to see, most likely for distribution.

What stood out more to Farran, however, were the various workers that littered the floor. Humanoid robots sprinted to and fro, checking the various points of the production process, checking for imperfections among the crystals and the dust. Every so often, they would find a lump of crystal amongst the powder, or a whole crystal that wasn't the pure white of the rest, and they would pull them from the line. Disturbingly, their means of disposal seemed to be what looked like Faunus, who were strapped into harnesses that forced them onto all fours, with large containers secured to their backs. The robots would place the imperfect crystals into the containers and, once they were full, whip the Faunus to get them moving.

"How horrible…" He heard Ruby gasp to his side.

"So, he sees the people under him as nothing but mindless slaves, and worse, he sees the Faunus literally as beasts of burden." Farran suddenly became aware of his hands hurting, as he had subconsciously started gripping the handrail tight, "This asshole is going to pay. This… all of this is just straight up bullshit! Viola, what even are those Faunus anyway? They're not from our world, I hope…"

She shook her head, "Thankfully not. They're just parts of the Palace ruler's cognition. Essentially, you can think of them as extremely lifelike dolls. Not that it makes any of this any less disturbing."

"Farran…" Ruby started tugging at his shoulder, trying in vain to get him to move, "Farran, please. I know this is awful, but we can't stay here. We need to get going. Richards is going to get his, I promise, but we need that keycard first, and if we stay here, we could get spotted."

"Ruby's right, Farran." Viola pulled his wrist on the other side, her calming voice relieving the tension somewhat, "It's not any better for either of us. Trust me, I want to see this man brought to justice just as much as you do, but we need to keep moving."

He finally let go, allowing the two girls to slightly guide him. After a bit, they let go of his arms, and he roughly ran a hand through his hair, "I'll just never understand this mentality. Not towards the Faunus, not towards anyone. It's all just bullshit!" He growled, "Our world is infested with Grimm, which are drawn to negative emotions. All the anger and sadness and everything else that all this crap produces just draws them in more. I just can't stand it!"

Ruby grabbed him by the hand, giving it a squeeze, "I know, Farran. It'll all be ok. We're Hunters, remember? In a while, we'll go out on missions and help fight the Grimm, so we can help on that end. AND we're fighting in here, so we're working on both sides of the problem. I just need you to calm down so we can get through this, alright?"

"I know, Ruby. You're right. Sorry, it's just… There's something in my mind, behind all the haze of stuff I lost when I fell. It makes me irrationally angry whenever I see stuff like this. Not even just racism in particular, just people bullying or abusing other people… I felt the same way when I saw Cardin messing with Velvet. I can't really explain it better than that." He chuckled, "Maybe I'm really a Faunus? I have my wings, although I don't think it works like that for them."

With Farran finally having calmed down, the group proceeded along to platform to the far end of the factory. The catwalk ended in a small flight of steel stairs that led down into another outcropping, with a long hallway extending past that. Much like the platform at the top of the tower they had visited previously, this section of the factory started to branch off into its own labyrinth of hallways, however compared to the barren steel of the platform, one could genuinely confuse where they were walking as a typical office building. Small offices, meeting rooms, and lounges jutted out from their path, their various phones and computer terminals providing the only sound as the din of the factory started to die down behind them. Every so often, they would encounter a lone guard Shadow on patrol, forcing them to sneak by, or in some cases they had to fight. It was through these fights that Farran had been able to acquire two new Personas.

As they walked, Farran had to admire Ruby's fighting ability. Even without Lupa, he had been amazed at just how competent a fighter she was, and at such a young age too. Not to mention she was able to control a weapon that stood taller than she did with such dexterity. She even seemed to do better against the Shadows than she did in the practice rounds he had seen her fight in class, as if she held back against human opponents. One fight in particular, in which he had gained his first of the two Personas, stood out to him. Not long after they first started through the offices, they had encountered a guard Shadow that transformed into a troop of rambunctious Shadows that took on the appearance of large, leafy gourds with human hands and feet sticking out. During the ensuing battle, the Shadows resisted the wind spells of Lupa, forcing Ruby to switch to the offensive herself. It was almost cruel watching this girl slicing down the Shadows, which soon realized they had been outmatched. The last remaining one sprinted to Farran, almost begging for its life. It was then that he forged a contract with the Shadow, which he found out was named Kijimuna, a Persona of the Star Arcana.

Granted, he was also finding that he wasn't such a slouch in his own right. The more he continued to fight, the better he kept getting, as if he were shaking off more and more rust each time. His bad knee still continued to be a problem, his movements were slowed more than he would have liked, and the cramped corridors they were stuck fighting in made it almost impossible to use his wings instead, but the brace he had received the other day kept the pain to a dull minimum, rather than searing up whenever he took a step like the last trip. Even so, he found his mettle being tested quite consistently, as the Shadows continued to grow faster and stronger as they continued, demanding he and Ruby continue to grow better as a team, and forcing Farran to the limit of his reflexes, both with his blade, and switching between his growing list of Personas. His second new Persona came from a battle against a guard Shadow, this one more feminine than the past few, that transformed into a woman wearing a white gown, the hems lined with the symbols of card suits, as well as a black blindfold. Her haughtiness was only matched by her lightning speed, forcing both Farran and Ruby on their heels with blistering strikes from her rapier. On top of her speed, the Shadow tried to force the two apart by summoning a number of card soldiers to block their path. Still, the Shadow could not fully keep track of both Persona users, and as her reinforcements dwindled, due to their weakness to the wind attacks of Lupa and Kijimuna, it slowly but surely returned to a two on one fight. In the end, Ruby was able to disarm the Shadow, and Farran recruited her to fight with them. Thus he gained a new Persona in Lady Luck to match his bond of Fortune with Weiss.

Finally, they found the place they were looking for. At the very top floor of the office building, they found another lobby lined with couches, with a door sitting behind a secretary's desk with a placard next to it labeled "Company President". The door itself had been left cracked a bit, and from what small amount they could see through, they were able to see a guard Shadow in a gaudy golden suit, much bigger than all the rest, sitting behind a mahogany desk, its hands tented in front of its face, almost as if it were waiting for them. From what Viola could sense, this was certainly the Shadow that held the keycard they needed to access the elevator, as well as any other doors they would need to pass. She could also tell that it was very strong, much stronger than any they had faced so far. They all agreed that it would be for the best to rest up for a few minutes, as Ruby had Lupa heal their wounds. In the end, it wasn't much, as Lupa's healing spells drained Ruby considerably, but it was still enough to get them patched up well enough to fight. After they had rested a bit, the three crowded near the door, preparing to take on this next challenge.

* * *

_At Beacon Academy:_

From the moment she had been returned to Beacon from the Metaverse, Yang sped around the campus, trying all her usual methods to vent her frustration. At first, she returned to the dorm, clambering up into her bunk to try to sleep it off. Instead, every time she closed her eyes, she pictured that other world: the purple skies, the destroyed town, the sickening factory with the tower standing above all else, and the video. Just the thought of the video was enough to rouse her anger all over again. She tried taking her mind off of it by playing video games and listening to music, hell she even took one of Blake's books and tried reading, but nothing could get it out of her mind. Thinking about the smile on Richards's face as he took over and ruined Velvet's life, and then started talking about doing the same to someone else almost caused her to snap her scroll right in half.

Ultimately, Yang left the dorm and was on her way to the airstrip, thinking about jumping on Bumblebee, cruising down to Junior's club, buying a drink, and maybe smacking around a few of his goons when she finally stopped to take a deep breath. While she couldn't deny it would be a blast, and a Strawberry Sunrise sounded fantastic at the moment, messing up the club again would only create more problems for her to deal with. Instead, she changed course and headed for the school's gym, heading straight for the training rooms. Working up a good sweat always made her feel better, even on the worst of days, and she planned on doing just that.

After changing into her workout gear, she spent the next while mauling the stuffing out of one of the gym's heavy bags. She jumped about, pounding out a rhythmic beat with a flurry of punches, picturing the bag as a stand in for Richards. _Once I get a hold of you, Richards, I'm going to do this to that ugly, greasy, overweight, perverted face of yours and…_ She had to take another calming breath. She couldn't really afford to have her Semblance activate subconsciously while she was hitting the heavy bag. Yang still wasn't sure if Goodwitch had forgiven her for the last time, and she was fairly certain the answer was no. After all, while the looks she gave Yang were no longer quite at death stare level, they were still remarkably cold, even for Goodwitch's standards. Not to mention that had been the last time she saw Goodwitch at the gym, as well as the last time she saw her covered in feathers.  _Which really is a shame. She looked fantastic like that. In her gym clothes, not the feathers. That wasn't the greatest. Although if anyone could pull off that look, she could._ Thankful to finally have her mind on anything else but what she had seen earlier, she continued the rest of her workout in peace, the video and the Metaverse long forgotten.

Two hours later, Yang followed her extended workout up with a long shower. She had always had an issue with the showers at Signal's gym because whenever she stayed in for more than five minutes, the hot water turned almost to ice. With as well funded as Beacon was, however, even the extended showers Yang sometimes treated herself to would stay piping hot from start to finish. Content and clean, she dried herself off and got dressed in some not sweaty clothes, then headed to her locker, only to be stopped by the sight of two brown rabbit ears peeking over the lockers, causing all of the memories from earlier to come flooding right back. Frowning, it occurred to Yang that she had never actually held a conversation with Velvet in the past despite having crossed paths on numerous occasions.  _No time like the present, I suppose…_  She curled around the corner to the next row of lockers, only to see Velvet sitting on the bench, wearing nothing but a towel. A sight she wouldn't have minded seeing if the rabbit Faunus wasn't staring gloomily into an open, empty locker.

"Hey Velvet." She gave the Faunus a small wave, "How's it going?"

Startled, Velvet whirled around to face her. When she saw Yang, her face dropped back to its previous depressed state, giving her a nod, "Oh, hello… Yang, right? Ruby's sister?"

"Yep, that's me! The 'Y' in Team RWBY. Or whatever we are now that we have Farran." She plopped down next to Velvet, "So what's up? You look really down. Everything ok?"

"Oh… Yes. Everything's fine." Velvet rested her chin on her hand, letting out a sigh.

"Really? Cause from where I'm sitting, it looks like you're sitting there practically naked, staring into your locker like someone drowned your goldfish." Yang nudged her in the ribs, "Look, you're friends with Ruby  _and_  Farran, right? And I know you talk to Blake a bit. You know you can trust me too, right? If for no other reason than all of them would kill me if I caused any problems for you. So seriously, what's the matter?"

"No… You're right. Sorry." She handed a piece of paper over to Yang, "I found this when I opened my locker."

"'You're nothing but a filthy animal, and it's time you started dressing like one'? What the hell?" She stared at the note in disbelief, "That is so wrong on so many levels…"

Velvet's breathe hitched, "I came here today to train with Coco, the leader of my team. It was actually a nice day, and pretty relaxing… But when I got out of the shower, I realized someone stole my clothes while I was washing off. From the stall  _and_ my locker. So I'm sure you can understand what they meant by that… Apparently they threw them all in the pool. Coco's running back to the dorms to get a change of clothes for me, and throw my wet ones in the dryer."

"Oh Velvet, I'm sorry to hear that! Do you have any idea who did it? If so, I'll go give 'em a piece of my mind, and-"

"N-No! Really, it's ok!" Velvet waved her hands nervously, "I think it was this pair of second years that live across the hall from me, they don't like the idea of me getting fast tracked a year. They're one of Richards's favorites, so there's really no point… And besides, it's better than the time they stuck a giant puff ball on the back of my skirt with rubber cement. Walking back to the dorm past everyone with a cotton tail was horrible, not to mention I had to buy a new skirt. At least Coco thought it was cute…"

"The nerve of some people… And Richards, that asshole!" Yang's hair started glowing slightly, "Why does he feel the need to go solely after you, of all people?!"

"Well, it's not like it's just me. He's not particularly fond of any of the other Faunus here, and I heard he even has plenty of human students he regularly targets. He's just been doubling down on me after Cardin stopped working for him. I guess he blames me for it, for whatever reason."

"Yea, Cardin has been differently lately. I heard a rumor that Richards had him selling Diamond Dust here at school too."

Velvet nodded solemnly, "I heard the same, but I've been hoping that rumor isn't true. It's a nasty drug, and I've seen what it can do to people. I really hope it isn't anywhere near Beacon.

"Wait, you know people who take Diamond Dust? Seriously?"

"Yes. Don't get me wrong, I've never tried it myself, and I have no plans on ever going near the stuff. But apparently, it's made from chemicals and byproducts from refining dust, hence the name. There are a lot of dust refineries by where I live, and a lot of my neighbors and family work at them. Naturally, there's a lot of people that make and use it in an area like that. One of my good friends when I was a kid… I watched her dwindle away a little bit every day after she started trying it..."

_And that asshole is planning on forcing her to go through all of that herself… Not going to happen._ "Hey Velvet, I'm sorry for bringing it up. I didn't realize it was such a sore spot for you."

"Oh, no. It's alright, really. If anything, I'm glad to have someone to listen. You and Ruby, Blake and Farran… You're all really kind."

"Well, I'm happy to help when I can. Actually, I'm sorry to cut things short, but I gotta jet. We're having a team meeting in a bit. I'll tell you what though, I always keep some spare clothes in my locker. You can wear them until your teammate gets back, just so you're not stuck here in a towel. Sound good?" She flashed Velvet a thumbs up.

"That would be great, actually! How should I get them back to you, though?"

"Eh, don't worry about it. I can just have Farran or probably Ruby pick them up for me some time. Just gotta remember to bring some more next time I'm here."

Yang bolted back for her locker, fishing out a white shirt and shorts, as well as Ember Celica. After hearing what Velvet had to say, she was going to go back to that alley and wait for those two to come back, and force them to take her back in. She couldn't just sit around and do nothing until next time they wanted to go in. As she closed her locker, she noticed a strange notification on her scroll. She opened it up to find a new app had been downloaded on it, one with a blue butterfly as the thumbnail. Once it opened, she realized it was the same app Farran had used to get them to and from that other world.  _Well then, maybe I won't have to wait after all!_  Yang handed the bundle of clothes over to Velvet, who seemed much more chipper than when she found her, and bid her farewell. Minutes later, she entered the alleyway where Farran and Ruby had left her, fully dressed in her usual combat gear with Ember Celica loaded and ready to go.

"Think I can't handle myself, Farran? Well, we'll see just how much those Shadows like getting a piece of me!" With a smirk, she pressed the button on her scroll. The light from earlier enveloped her and, within seconds, she was gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Hey Yang, if you were stalking those two, why didn't you just hide in that pile of containers?"
> 
> "Are you kidding me? They're way too small for me to fit! Besides, I wouldn't be able to see or hear anything Ruby or Farran were saying!"
> 
> "…But you still could've hid behind them or something, right?"
> 
> "Shut up, Inferno. Nobody asked you."
> 
> Hey Guys!
> 
> Just want to give a huge shout out to lightninglink4. After the last trip to the Metaverse, they gave me some tips on writing combat scenes. I know the Charon fight wasn't much, but I hope I improved. Not to mention, they've been doing these awesome reviews in the Fan Fiction Fridays threads on reddit for the story. Thanks again Lightninglink!
> 
> Now for the Persona lineup for this chapter.
> 
> Charon: In Greek mythology, Charon is the ferryman that carries souls across the River Styx to the land of the dead. I ended up using its design from the Shin Megami Tensei Demikids series. Pretty much, I thought it would be a funny role reversal for the representation for Death to be a tiny cute thing that was initially terrified of Ruby.
> 
> Kijimuna: A goblin/fairy from Okinawan myth. It loves fish, is terrified of octopi, and can bring wealth to people it likes. I used its design from SMT: Devil Summoner.
> 
> Lady Luck: A Persona of my own design. Also known as Tyche in Greek myth, and Fortuna in Roman myth, both were the goddesses of luck from their mythologies. I know I could've just used Fortuna, since it already is a Persona, but I kinda want to use Personas/Demons that haven't really been used much, if at all, in the series so far.
> 
> Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter!
> 
> Inferno :D


	8. I Burn

All was quiet outside the factory in the Metaverse, until in an instant, the sound of harsh winds bellowed forth from the ground near the airship dock, as a blue light started shining brightly. After a few seconds, the light disappeared, leaving an intense Yang Xiao Long in its place. She bounced around, looking for her teammates she had left behind, only to find the whole area empty. Remembering they had said they would be sticking to investigating the factory today, she sprinted towards and into the building, deciding to hang a right and go through the metal double doors leading towards the factory floor.

* * *

The Shadow had been waiting for them. That much had been obvious before they crossed into the room to confront it. How it knew they were coming, Farran wasn't quite sure, and yet it sat there, its crimson eyes peering over its tented hands, judging them. All it took was a snap of its fingers as they came to a stop to cause the door to slam and lock behind them, another trick of this strange world, leaving them trapped inside with their target. The Shadow never took its eyes off them as it rose from its seat, its form barely visible in the dim lighting provided by the room's golden chandelier. Then, the room slowly started glowing brighter, as tongues of flame began to ripple across the Shadow's golden suit. With the sound of a gunshot, the Shadow lashed a kick out at its desk, launching it at Farran. Before any of the group could react, mahogany met his chest, taking him with it as it sailed into the back wall.

Throbbing pain filled his head, but Farran was thankful that his aura prevented any more damage than that, considering the damage one would expect from a near solid block of mahogany slamming their body into an even more solid oak wall. He pulled himself from the debris, only to find the room around him significantly brighter than before. Where once the guard Shadow stood, now slithered a lizard-like one, as long as Farran was tall, its back reaching slightly above Ruby's head in height. Flames bellowed from its body, casting the once dark room ablaze with light. A thick, black smoke covered the ceiling, billowing from the beast's back, making Farran's eyes itch and his throat burn. Every few seconds, the Shadow's tongue would flick out, accompanied by a shower of glowing embers which scattered across the floor.

Farran tried to take a step forward, drawing his blade, only for the pain in his head to flare, as if a burning knife had been plunged in. He fell to his knees, his sword clanging on the floor as his hands flew to his forehead. For a moment, the scene of fire and smoke in front of him vanished, replaced with something new, something foreign to him. He was standing in a desert, a sand dune the size of a building soaring to the sky in front of him. He spun around, desperate to understand just what was going on, when he heard the sound of children laughing. He looked everywhere, searching for where it was coming from, only to find more and more sand. The throbbing pain in his head slowly crept back, threatening to drag him back to reality, but not before he heard one more thing. It was the voice of one of the children that, despite being significantly younger, he could distinctly remember as his own.

"A fire lizard! I heard it today, I promise. Somewhere out there, we'll find it. Together! Right, …?"

Before the voice could identify who it was talking to, the desert in front of him disappeared, and he was once again kneeling in the burning office in the Metaverse. At some point, Ruby had dashed over to him, and was helping him back to his feet. The pain in his head subsided, allowing Farran to grab his blade from the floor, and prepare for the fight ahead of them. The lizard Shadow stared them down unimpressed, spitting more sparks across the floor.

"Pitiful intruders. Do you not understand what you are doing?" A low, deep voice rumbled from the Shadow, "Your continued interference into our operations has severely slashed our profits. With all of my best men at the top of the tower, there's no one to ensure those peons in the factory are constantly working at peak efficiency. Our production has slowed nearly to a halt, and the blame rests solely on you. For our dear Boss, I will proudly dole out the punishment you all deserve."

"Like we care about how much money you make!" Ruby unsheathed Crescent Rose, "Everything your boss does hurts innocent people, and he's planning on ruining our friend's life. We're not going to let him do what he wants anymore!"

"Hmph. Such insolence. Do you still not understand? In this world, the only thing that matters is the profits of Boss Richards. For low class scum like you to do anything but sacrifice your lives to that end is the gravest of sins. Therefore, it is my honor and my duty to burn you all to ash, as a warning for anyone who might be foolish enough to think otherwise!" The Shadow punctuated its point with a mighty roar.

Immediately, Farran and Ruby opened fire on the Shadow, blasts of ice dust and bullets flashing through the air towards it. The Shadow shrugged off their projectiles, the flames from its back leaping up and eviscerating them before they even came close to contact. I leapt towards the left-most wall, contorting its body sideways. Despite its weight, the Shadow's webbed toes stuck to the wall, holding it in place as the lizard inhaled and launched a salvo of fireballs towards them. A squall of wind rushed around Farran as Ruby summoned Lupa, the wolf Persona creating a wall of wind which deflected the fire around them. The heat was unbearable beforehand but the fireballs brought the temperature to a point that Farran had to ditch his jacket.

"What do you got on this thing, Viola?" Farran bellowed over the violent gale.

"It's a Salamander." She called back, "Charon's ice spells should do the trick, but be careful. This thing is fast and hits hard."

Farran nodded as he broke the chains to summon Charon. The purple boat master waved his oar in the air, creating a pillar of ice to the side of the Shadow that reached up and slammed into it, crushing it against the wall as ice formed around it. When the spell dissipated, the Shadow collapsed on the ground, rolling around on its back until it righted itself. With a snarl, the lizard leapt at him, ramming its head into Farran. The force of the blow sent him flying across the room, skidding on his back. Its flames left his arms and chest burning, searing pain numbing his senses, but after a second, the pain died down, and his skin had no signs of any burn marks. Farran had Charon create more pillars of ice, but the Shadow proved far too fast, dancing around the frosty spells before they could make contact.

Meanwhile, Ruby fared much better, utilizing her and Lupa's natural speed to keep up with the Shadow. While the pillars Charon were creating weren't much direct use, they made for excellent platforms for Ruby to launch herself from, using her Semblance to launch herself from post to post, and slicing the lizard's back up with Crescent Rose. It was slow work, the air above the Shadow was hot and filled with smoke and soot, but each slash did much needed damage against it. That is, until the Shadow wizened up to her plan and used its tail to smash down a pillar, just as she was about to land on it. Ruby spun around in the air, sliding backwards as she landed and digging Crescent Rose into the ground to slow her momentum, but before she could stop, the Shadow shot another fireball at her. It exploded on impact, knocking her across the room, and she slammed into the wall near Viola.

The Shadow leapt at them, looking to pin both girls underneath it, only to be caught in midair by a torrent of wind, throwing the Shadow itself into a wall. Farran clambered back to his feet, as the newly summoned Kijimuna jumped around in front of him, somehow shadow boxing despite its short limbs. The Shadow pulled itself upright and glared at the gourd-like Persona, letting out another thunderous roar. Kijimuna was not one to be intimidated, instead it continued to bounce, letting out some angry, shrill screeches of its own. The Shadow bent low, preparing to pounce, which prompted Farran to bring out his wings and kick off the ground. The office's ceiling was much higher than that of the corridors or any of the other rooms they had fought in to this point, giving Farran enough room to maneuver in the air, which he hoped would allow him to keep up with the Salamander's speed.

Ruby and Farran kept as steady of a stream of wind attacks as they could with the reserves of stamina they had left, forcing the Shadow constantly on its heels, never staying on one surface for more than a few seconds. With each landing, it launched desperate shots in the general directions of Farran, Ruby, and Viola, hardly able to take aim under the onslaught. Explosions rang out about them, cleaving craters of embers in the walls, floor, and ceiling. However, all it took was one stray shot to knock Farran from the sky. He had flown around the chandelier, trying to get a better angle for his next attack, when an errant fireball soared past his left side. The smell of smoke filled his lungs, and the heat from the flames lapped at his skin. Then, before he could realize what was about to happen, the world around him was replaced with pain. Farran had obviously never lost a limb before, but what he felt in that moment was what he assumed the sensation was like. The fireball struck his wing, the immense heat melting the silver the second it made impact. Pain flooded his mind, numbing him to any of his other senses. Even the realization that he was falling came too late, a silent scream caught in his throat as he careened towards the ground, one wing beating uselessly, trying to stop his descent. The ground rose to meet him, battering him on impact. His senses returned to him when his wings dispelled on their own, instantly relieving the pain. He forced himself up into a sitting position, realizing that the impact had caused Kijimuna to disappear, only for the Salamander to leap towards him, pinning him to the ground. The heat of the Shadow seared his skin as it reared back and tried to bite him, its massive, flaming maw primed for the kill.

In a burst of inspiration, Farran attempted to call forth Kijimuna, the ethereal chains wrapping themselves around his wrists once more. Instead of breaking them as he usually would, he brought his hands up, forcing the chains in between the beasts jaws, just as it attempted to sink its teeth into him. The Shadow twisted and turned, before its teeth finally shattered the chains. A dual gust of wind from Kijimuna and Lupa caught the underbelly of the Shadow, launching it off of Farran and into a bookcase on the far wall. The room was filled with a sharp creak as the bookcase, and the Salamander along with it, tipped from its resting place. The structure crashed to the floor, crushing the Shadow beneath it, burying it with the weight of the wood and books. Farran scrambled to his feet, preparing for the pile of rubble to be set alight and the beast to charge out once more, but instead, the light from beneath started to dim. He prepared the chain from his wrist, seeking to end this fight by claiming a new Persona. The floor creaked slightly as he inched forward, the already unbearable heat of the room growing the closer he got to the pile. Soon the light beneath died completely, the sole illumination coming from the chain on Farran's wrist, and the flashes of light as Ruby summoned Lupa, trying her best to patch the two of them up in this brief quiet. The debris now within arm's reach, Farran leaned forward, preparing to delve his blade into the Shadow the second it moved. The ground beneath him rumbled, and Farran tried to kick off into the air, but it was too late. The pile immediately caught ablaze, and with the sound of cannon fire, the Shadow tossed it off, burning books and bits of wood scattering around the room. The Shadow jumped and spun, its tree trunk-like tail slamming into Farran's chest, whipping him across the room. The sound of shattering ceramics filled his ears as he collided spine first with a vase in the corner. Shards of smashed pottery left smarting slashes across his exposed arms as he pulled himself to his feet. He stood on shaky legs, staring down the Salamander, which looked haggard in its own right. Ruby and Viola rushed to his side, sending one more desperate healing spell his way as they prepared to make the final push against their foe.

* * *

Halfway across the building, chaos flooded the factory floor. Emergency sirens on the walls let out a constant, earsplitting whine. Robot parts lay strewn across the ground, broken and charred amongst the rubble of what had previously been the conveyor belt. The machines that had been pumping out Diamond dust were now filled with dents and holes, some sections even having exploded apart. The Faunus that were once in harnesses, now cowered in the corner, free but yet obviously terrified. And in the middle of it all stood a very cocky Yang.

Farran had been seriously underestimating her when he and Ruby forced her to go back to Beacon, that or overestimating how tough these Shadows were. If anything, the robots were more dangerous than they had been, and even then it was just because their metal hurt her fists! When she first came out into the factory and noticed the Faunus, naturally her first instinct was to set them free, and all that did was piss off the little bastards, throwing them into a frenzy. They had all tried to swarm Yang. As small as they were, they didn't even come up to her elbows after all, there wasn't much they could do to her. Although, she did find them useful after she had freed all the Faunus, given that their bodies exploded. Most of the damage she had done to the factory came from tossing them around? Of course, she did really regret throwing the one into the vat of chemicals. It had already stunk up the room quite a bit before there was a giant puddle of the stuff splashed across the floor.

Then the Shadows came. Or at least, she figured the goons that looked like they were entirely made of smoke were Shadows, Farran hadn't really gone too deep into his explanation of what they looked like. In any case, the first bunch that came out seemed tough at first. She fired a couple rounds from Ember Celica at them before they could get close, but they just seemed to shrug it all off. Once they were close enough, Yang thought they would try to fight, but instead they exploded into a murky puddle. When it all settled, she could see that she was surrounded by a number of floating jack-o-lanterns and what looked like tiny fairies from the storybooks she always used to read to Ruby when she was small. Pixies maybe? Whatever they were, she got into her stance, sending Ember Celica into its full guard state. With a grin, she launched herself at the mass of shadows, shots ringing out from her gauntlets as they all fell to pieces around her. A few flew back, trying to form up to attack her, but even from a distance Ember Celica shredded them. When all was said and done, the wave of Shadows had all disintegrated before Yang had even broken a sweat.

"Ha! How do you like that, Richards?!" Yang boasted, "Send out all the Shadows you want, nothing's gonna stop me from taking your ass down!"

The sirens stopped blaring around her, allowing Yang to hear the sound of someone chuckling over a loudspeaker, "Very good, Miss Xiao Long. It's impressive that you managed to take them all out on your own."

"Richards…" She growled as she recognized his voice, "Get your ass out here! I'm gonna make you pay for messing with Velvet!"

"You know, it really is disappointing. You're just as beautiful as your mother was back in the day." Shadow Richards tittered, sending a chill up her spine, "I may have not made my way onto Beacon's staff yet, but I was still high up the chain with the Mafia, and your mother never was afraid to cut a deal…"

"You… you knew my mom?" Yang desperately tried to hide the hope in her voice, "You knew Raven?"

"I did. Still do in fact. I've made sure to keep in good contact with her, after all. When I'm able to catch her that is. I try to never lose a valuable resource if I can afford to."

"Where?!" She could feel heat rising on the back of her neck, "Just tell me where she is, you bastard!"

Shadow Richards cackled, "How about I cut you a deal, Miss Xiao Long? You see, with as busy as I am with this factory, my poor dogs have been awfully lonely. If you keep them company, I'll tell you where your mother is."

"Dogs?"

"Indeed. I always was a dog lover, you know. I do so value loyalty. In any case, whether you agree to it or not…" Yang could hear growling all around her. She spun around, only to find herself surrounded on all sides by dogs wearing the same masks the Shadows had earlier. Another cackle blared out from the speaker, "They're awfully happy to see you. That's your dinner tonight, boys! Sick her! And feel free to help yourself to any of those useless beasts you find down there."

Yang prepared for the worst as the pack of dogs barreled down at her, their sharp, bloody fangs bared and ready to strike.

* * *

"So what do we do here, Ruby?" Farran muttered as he warily watched the Shadow on the other side of the room, "You come up with any ideas?"

"Well... Just one." She pointed at the ceiling, or more specifically, the golden chandelier which was the only thing the Shadow's onslaught had left unscathed, "I don't think it'll be enough to beat it, but it should be heavy enough to stop it for you to take it as a Persona. Think you can keep it distracted for a little while?"

"I think I can manage. Just stay together, I'll make sure it doesn't get to close." He waited for Ruby to nod as she crouched in the corner and switched Crescent Rose to its sniper form, "Alright then… Come forth, Lady Luck!"

As Farran broke the chains, the thin, prepossessing form of Lady Luck appeared from the light. Despite the blind fold, she seemed to take in the room with a stern frown, "I was under the impression you lot were attempting to be stealthy. In what way is setting the place ablaze stealthy?"

"You're the one who didn't mention her boss would set everything on fire. Besides, don't act like you didn't want to wreck the place yourself." Farran shot her a sly grin, "In any case, don't you have something you'd like to say?"

"Now that you mention it…" She drew her rapier with a flourish, lips tightening into a wry smile, "You can consider this my resignation!"

Lady Luck charged forward, closing the distance between them and the Shadow in an instant. Her blade glowed as electricity surged through it, sparks flying as her lighting quick strikes burrowed into the skin of the Salamander. It swung its tail, seeking to launch the Persona away, but Lady Luck was quicker, leaping backwards. As she landed, she raised her rapier towards the ceiling, bringing a lightning bolt crashing down. The Shadow roared, launching a burst of fireballs that exploded around her. The blasts battered her about, the force and heat causing her, and thus Farran considerable damage.

As Farran went about fighting the Shadow, Ruby turned her attention to the chandelier above them. The light hung from the ceiling, supported by a number of golden chains, no more than an inch wide each, requiring her to be as precise as she could be. Beyond that, the dense layer of smoke constantly billowing from the Shadow obscured her view, and each attack from Farran's battle with it caused the chandelier to sway and shake. Still, with the alternative being having to continually dodge the giant lizard… reptile… amphibian? Whatever it was, the alternative wasn't great. Besides, Ruby had been practicing with Crescent Rose for almost her whole life, and by this point, she had become one of the top marksmen at Beacon, despite her age. The chamber of her rifle roared, the chains of the chandelier fell one by one until only the centermost one remained. All that was left was for Farran to push the Shadow back into position.

On his end, the Shadow proved to be much more stubborn than he had anticipated. Viola had sent him the all clear through… whatever telepathy she used. Farran made a mental note to ask her exactly how that all worked. In any case, the Salamander was too strong and too heavy for Lady Luck's strikes to force it back much, if at all. Meanwhile, its bites and fire managed to force Farran and his Persona back, pushing the battle farther from where he needed it to be. When his back hit the wall, Farran called Lady Luck back, and in a fit of desperation, summoned Abel, who bull rushed the Shadow. The Salamander launched a fireball, striking Abel dead in the chest, but Farran held firm, and Abel managed to wrestle and push the Shadow all the way back under the chandelier, holding it down in position. Ruby took the shot, her bullet striking true against the final chain, freeing the chandelier, and causing it to freefall on top of Abel and the Shadow. The force of the impact was enough to dissipate Abel, knocking Farran flat, but it had the intended effect, pinning the Shadow to the ground. It roared and struggled, trying to free itself, but the weight of the chandelier was too great. After a few moments, it ceased its useless flailing, accepting its fate.

"Alright, are you done? Are we done?! Please?!" Farran groaned in exasperation. When the Shadow failed to answer, he continued, speeding along the speech he had previously given to Kijimuna and Lady Luck, "Ok, look. You're not some employee, and this isn't a business. You're a being from the subconscious of all people, and this world is the collective unconscious, and Richards is an asshole. Now please, PLEASE, form a contract and fight with me, cause you owe me that much for smacking me around so bad!"

The Shadow blinked at him and chuckled, "Very well, Human. You are correct. I will fight by your side for now on."

With a sigh, Farran half-heartedly tossed the chain in the Shadow's general direction. It apparently met its mark, as a soft blue glow filled the room, until the chain and Shadow disappeared. The once locked door swung opened on its own, allowing the light from the hallway outside to flood the office. Ruby rushed over to Farran, helping him back up and doing her best to patch him up, while Viola busied herself with looking through the wreckage of the chandelier to find the keycard they had been searching for.

"You going to be ok, Farran? You looked like you were in a ton of pain when your wing got hit." Farran flinched as Lupa cast a healing spell on him, causing it to feel as if someone drug an ice cube across his wounds. Ruby flicked the side of his head, "Oh don't be such a baby. Other than your wing, it looks like the worst that you got were some cuts and burns. Nothing Lupa can't handle."

"I know, it's just so cold." Farran shivered as another healing spell crossed his back, "As for my wings, I should be fine. But you know how it hurt when Blake pulled off one of my feathers? It was like that, but a million times worse. Guess that means I can feel anything that happens to them…"

"That just means you're going to have to be more careful when you're up in the air." Viola floated over to them. She looked up at Farran, obviously worried, as she ran a hand across his back, sending shivers up his spine, "Your wings are a great blessing, especially with the state your knee is in, but you need to be careful."

"I know, I know." Farran grabbed his jacket from the ground, slipping it back on, "So, you found the keycard, right?"

"That I did. Here, I'll trade you these for your scroll for a second." She took his scroll, handing him another pile of Lien in exchange. With a small click, she ran the keycard along the scroll's edge, and handed it back to him, "Now you'll be able to patch in to all the security information from this castle, so we'll be able to have a better idea of where the Shadows will be from now on. Meanwhile, I'll be keeping hold of this for later…" A blue fire enveloped the keycard in her palm, with both card and flame disappearing soon after that.

"And all that info's on my scroll, right? Like a map or something?" At her nod, Farran opened his scroll, activating the usual app, only for the word "Warning" to flash on screen in bright orange and red. The app opened to security camera footage of the factory floor from earlier, which had now been destroyed. The machines and robots all lay in parts, and in the center of it all was a familiar blonde, "Yang?!"

"How the heck did she get back in here?" Ruby squeaked.

"That fool…" Viola shook her head, darkly, "She must have used the app after we sent her back to your world."

"The app? How did she get it? Farran's the only one who has it! …Right?"

"No, anyone can have it. So long as you have your scroll when you come in here, it'll appear once you leave. You should have it too, Ruby."

Under Farran and Viola's gaze, Ruby nervously opened up her scroll. Seconds later she flinched back, tentatively tapping the tips of her index fingers together, "I never really noticed cause I only ever use my scroll to text with the team. I don't really use any of the other apps on it…"

"Alright, we'll handle whatever the heck with the app later." Farran started moving them towards the door, "Right now, Yang's busy tearing the factory apart, and I wouldn't be surprised if Richards is sending a whole mess of Shadows down to kill her. We need to get going, and get her the hell out of here!"

* * *

Battered and bruised, Yang lay on the remains of what had been the conveyor belt before she had arrived. Ember Celica now sat in its usual form, its chambers empty of all the rounds she had brought with her. With a groan, she tried to force herself up, but couldn't find the strength. Farran was right, the Shadows were tough, and Yang had been completely unprepared. When the dogs had charged her, rather than tearing her apart with their teeth, they stopped just shy of her and transformed, much like the last batch of shadows had done. This time, they had turned into some lion-dog hybrid that she could vaguely remember seeing in one of Blake's books from Mistral. Nothing Yang threw at them even seemed to phase them, shrugging off even some of her strongest Semblance-powered punches. In the end, between their own attacks which rivaled her own strength, the Shadows had just overwhelmed Yang, and knocking her flat. She lied there, staring up at them as they danced around her, barely holding onto consciousness. Every so often, one of them would drop a lightning bolt on her, sending a jolt of white-hot pain up and down her spine, the scent of ozone lingering in the air. Her breathing slowed as she realized she wouldn't be able to hold out much longer.

"Yang!" A familiar voice called out from somewhere above her, "Oh Gods, just hold on! We'll be right down!"

A calming cool drifted over Yang's shoulders as the pain coursing through her body started to lessen. She forced herself up, looking to see Ruby drop from the catwalk above her. Farran, who was carrying Viola bridal style, landed on the other side of her. He set the girl in the blue dress down, who brushed herself off and rounded on him, "You didn't need to do that! I would have been just fine getting down here on my own, Farran."

"Don't act like you didn't enjoy it. I saw that smirk of yours when I picked you up." Farran drew his blade staring down the Shadows, "Take my scroll, and get Yang somewhere safe for right now. Let us know if any more are on the way."

She nodded, sliding Yang's arm over her shoulder and pulling her up, "Are you going to be ok, Yang?" As Yang nodded in response, Viola helped her move over to a corner, sheltered on almost all sides by the remains of the factory's machines, "We're clear. Be careful with them you two, those are Shiisa. They resist both physical and gun attacks, so your weapons won't be too effective. Farran, they have electric attacks in their arsenal, but they're not weak to wind, so Kijimuna won't be the best idea. Just keep calm and keep moving."

With Kijimuna out, and Lady Luck's strength lying in her physical strikes more so than her electricity, Farran decided he would rely on his newest heavy hitter for this. In his mind, he pictured fire, and that expanse of desert he had seen in that vision previously. The ethereal chains appeared around his wrists, and when the broke, Salamander roared from within the circle of light. Following his lead, Ruby summoned Lupa, amphibian and wolf staring down the pack of Shiisa that let out a number of roars of their own. Even with the two of them combined, they still stood easily outnumbered. From a quick guess, Farran would say the Shadows numbered in the twenties, and from Viola's further instructions, many more were already maneuvering throughout the mansion at the top of the Palace, making their way down to them. There was still some time to handle this group, but if they took too long, it was clear they would soon be outmatched by sheer numbers.

The front most Shiisa charged at them, baring its fangs at Farran. Before it could get too close, Salamander whipped it in the chest with its tail, letting out a mighty crack. While the impact didn't do too much damage, the force was still enough to send it flying through the air, as Salamander followed it up with a fire spell, sniping it from the sky like a clay pigeon. The first shots fired, the Shiisa began to charge en masse. A torrent of fire and wind clashed against them, forcing a number of them back, but even more managed to get through. Their strikes were quick and painful, digging their fangs into any available flesh they could find, almost like a swarm of mosquitoes, before Farran and Ruby were able to force them away. Farran was forced to take point, as every so often a salvo of lightning would rain from above them, rolling thunderclaps echoing throughout the factory.

Farran's chest burned, and his breathing was ragged, each spell from one of his Personas bringing him closer to the brink. Even so, he chose to wave Ruby off on the numerous times she tried to cast a healing spell on him. They had both used far too much of their stamina up to and in the fight with Salamander, and Ruby had burned far more of her energy trying to keep them both healed up to that point. Even in this fight, they needed to heavily utilize the spells of their Personas, with their weapons rendered completely ineffective. Every time Farran turned to check on her, he could tell she was struggling. She was panting heavily, and beads of perspiration dotted across her arms and face. Every time she had to have Lupa cast a spell, Farran could see her grimace and grit her teeth. Still, through pure stubbornness, grit, and willpower, the duo started to cut down wave after wave of Shiisa, thinning the mass of Shadows that stood before them. At the rate they were heading, the battle might soon be won, and they could get Yang to safety.

From her corner, Viola kept a close eye on the action, monitoring Ruby and Farran with her scans. The energy levels of both were dropping into seriously critical lows, and yet they had been able to hold on and rally, and it seemed they had the battle in hand. She took a quick look over at Yang, the blonde curled up against the wall. She had all but recovered from the previous onslaught she had faced, and she was certainly conscious, but even still, Viola pitied her horribly. The poor girl hadn't so much as said a word since she pulled her to safety, instead blankly staring ahead of her, a permanent frown etched on her face. Having lost her fight so handily must have been a serious blow to her ego. Still, she was safe for now, and when they were able to leave, she would be sure to explain that it wasn't at all her fault, just that she had come in completely unprepared for the fight. When next they returned, Yang would surely gain her Persona, and be able to better aid them. She hoped that would make the girl feel better, at least. Viola's attention returned to the fight, just as Farran had been hit by a particularly painful bolt of electricity. Over the noise of the battle, Viola could hardly hear the sound of a horse's hoof clacking against the pavement by her until a tall dark shadow had been cast over her and Yang.

The efforts or Ruby and Farran had carved the horde of Shadows down to about eight Shiisa, still prancing about and roaring at them, when over the din of the fight, Farran heard Viola scream. He had Abel launch the Shiisa closest to him away and spun around, hoping against hope that she and Yang were alright. Instead, he saw a sight that .might as well have walked straight out of his nightmares. A tall, dark figure in a cloak of shadows approached him, riding atop a horse, midnight black with eyes the color of hellfire. In each arm, it carried one of the two girls that had ran to safety earlier, Yang in its left, and Viola in its right. Beyond everything else, the most eerie thing about this being was that it lacked a head, a gaping, bloody hole peeking out of the cloak where its neck should be. Even the other Shadows seemed to fear it, as instead of charging Farran and Ruby, they simply bowed away, backing up as far as they were able. The figure tossed Yang to the floor in front of it, its horse striding forward and boldly placing a foot on top of her, forceful enough to hold her in place, but not to crush her. The figure reached down to its side and drew a sword, one which stood as tall as Farran from tip to pommel.

Farran charged it, trying desperately to summon a Persona, and Persona, to help him free his friends, but was stopped a few feet short of this new Shadow. Even without a head of its own, Farran could tell that the Horseman was staring down at him, as if it were staring into his soul. His sword fell to the ground with a clatter, a searing pain burning its way throughout his mind. He dropped to one knee, then to two, then down to all fours, as the heat of a million suns burned inside his head. Farran had grown accustomed to pain like this being followed with some sort of vision, usually the scene of him falling from the rooftop like the day he had first woken up, however this pain was far more intense, and no vision came to him. The only thing he could see was the concrete floor below him, and the shadow of the Horseman that stood above him. That's when he heard it. Through the numbing pain in his mind, he could make out one sense, the sound of someone playing a piano. The tune was simple, but at the same time eerie, ghastly even, and it chilled him straight to the bone. Farran tried to fight through it all, but he found himself frozen to the spot, the whole world around him gone, save for the sound of a piano.

* * *

Yang lay there uselessly on the factory's concrete floor, the Shadow's hoof placed firmly on the small of her back. Farran had come running at them, sword drawn, but before he could do anything, his eyes had filled with terror and he collapsed. Ruby had tried to help him, but she was almost immediately swarmed by the Shadows from earlier. Try as she might, Yang couldn't find the strength to mover her arms, let alone push the Shadow off of her. She closed her eyes, trying to get her Semblance to activate, but nothing she tried seemed to work.

"Why?!" She growled, her eyes squeezed shut, "Why can't I do anything to help them?!"

"I think it's pretty obvious. Don't you?" A chipper and cutesy voice came from right above her, "Although, I do have a better view from up here."

Yang's eyes flew open, and from what she could tell, time had completely stopped around her. The Shadows that had swarmed Ruby were all frozen, some even mid-bounce, and Ruby herself had been stopped in the middle of an attack, exhausted pain marring her face. She looked around for the voice, still unable to move much when she saw a pair of bare feet land next to her. The owner of said feet walked around to the front of Yang plopping down in front of her. Yang had to rub her eyes, because what she saw should not be possible. Sitting in front of her was a girl that might as well have been a mirror image of herself. The only difference was the clothes, as this girl was only wearing her crop top and shorts, and her usual purple irises glowed a bright yellow. That and perched atop her head were a pair of fake, plastic…

"Cat ears?" Yang raised an eyebrow, "Seriously?"

"Nya!" The girl brought her hands up to her cheeks as if they were paws, her whole attitude was that of someone trying way too hard to be cute, "Master Richards's orders! With how successful all the cute Faunus girls will be selling Diamond Dust, all the rest of us have been ordered to look and act as cute and sexy as possible!" Her voice dropped low, "And we all know I have to follow his orders, since I'm not strong enough to win on my own. Isn't that right… Me?"

"You dare say that about me?! With my face?!" Yang snarled, "Are you looking for a fight? Who the hell are you? And why the hell do you look like me?"

"Hmph. Seriously? I just told you. You really are just a dumb, blonde bimbo like everyone says you are, aren't you?" The girl had completely dropped her cutesy act, glaring at Yang with venomous disdain.

"The hell did you just say?!" Yang roared, "I'll knock all those teeth out of that smug face of yours!"

"Oh really? And how do you plan on doing that, Yang? You can barely move on your own, let alone force that Shadow off your back long enough to touch me." She watched as Yang visibly deflated, "Now since you're apparently too stupid to get it the first time, I guess I'll have to explain it again. I am you. I am the Shadow of your true inner self. I'm the you that comes from all your innermost fears and weaknesses. Most importantly, I'm the you that realizes just how weak and pathetic you really are, Yang. And believe me, you are pathetic. Weak, pathetic, and useless."

"I'm. Not. WEAK."

"Oh, is that so?" Shadow Yang hummed, her voice dripping with boredom, "I guess I wouldn't know, even though I'm the manifestation of your weakness or anything. Tell me, Yang. When was the last time you saw your mom? When you were an infant? One of the greatest Huntresses Beacon has ever seen, and she abandons you as a baby. I wonder why that is. Oh, but you already know, don't you? It's because she knew. Raven knew from the time you were a baby that you wouldn't amount to anything. She knew that you were weak, pathetic, and useless, so she threw you away and broke your father's heart. And if anyone would know strength, it's her."

"Shut up! Don't talk about it like you know anything-"

"I do know. I know all about it Yang. I know about how you forced Ruby into a tiny, little wagon as a kid, and went out searching for Raven. I know that you're lucky that both of you didn't die because you were so stupid that you thought that was a good idea, and that you were too weak to defend yourself, let alone your little sister. I know that all this time, you still haven't learned from that. Not only did you nuke Junior's bar looking for her, but all it took was the mere mention of her name for you to forget all about your training, and let yourself get surrounded. Face the facts, Yang. You're weak, you're pathetic, you're  _useless_! The only thing ahead of you in life is everyone you love and care about abandoning you because of it, just like Raven did!"

"Shut up!" Yang yelled so loud her throat started to burn.

"And tonight, you're going to lose your sister because of your weakness." Shadow Yang yelled just as loud, "Ruby and Farran are going to die, and it's all your fault! He warned you to stay at home. He knew that you were too weak to handle this world. Yet you came in and ruined their whole plan anyways, and now they're going to die trying to protect your useless ass. That is the truth, Yang. Stop trying to hide from it and realize their blood is on your hands!"

"I… I'm not…" White hot tears slid down her cheek, landing on her clenched knuckles, "You're right… I am weak… I am useless. All this time, I tried to pretend I was fine and get stronger but… Raven was right to abandon me. No matter what I do, I'll never live up to her. To how strong she is. Gods, I'm so damn pathetic…"

"Ooor, maybe it's something else entirely." Yang felt her Shadow reach over and pat her hand, "Something you never thought of because you spent so long focusing on getting stronger."

"What… What do you mean?" She dried her eyes with her forearm, "Didn't you just get done berating me for how weak I am?"

"I did because that's what, deep in your heart, you believe to be true." It was almost as if her Shadow had completely changed, her voice now soothing and gentle, "Rather than accept the truth, you forced yourself to think that you were weak, because it was easier for you to think that way."

"Ok… So then, what is the truth?"

"Well the most obvious is that Raven didn't leave you because you were weak. Whatever the reason she did leave, it boils down to the fact that she's a shit parent, and that's on her, not on you. But you'd rather blame yourself, because you want to love her and believe she'd be Super Mom like Summer was, but that just never was the case. Not to mention, you blame yourself for that who misadventure with Ruby when you went to look for her, but you always forget to remind yourself that you were just a kid! Yea, it was a dumb decision, but kids make dumb decisions all the time. None of that is on you, and you should never have beaten yourself up for it, let alone continuing to do so for so long, especially when nobody got hurt!"

Yang blinked, furrowing her brow, "Ok… So, you say all that as if something is still wrong with me. What exactly is it?"

"It's very simple, and this is the real problem I represent that you need to work on. You're impulsive and extremely single-minded. Rather than think, you always go with your gut. Instead of listening to Farran and Ruby, you charged in here once you saw how bad things were for Velvet. The second Richards brought up your mom, you completely dropped your guard. Not to mention, for how long you focused on getting stronger, you let almost all the other facets of your life fall away. You hardly see your old friends from Signal any more, and you hardly ever cook when it's not the weekend. All you do in your spare time is spar and train. And how long have your grades been in the tank? We both know you're not stupid, and you can't just keep getting by with C's. Hell, even your fighting style is affected! You spent so long trying to get strong, that now instead of utilizing footwork, fundamentals, grapples, whatever… All you try to do is go for the knockout blow, and if that doesn't work, you use your Semblance so it does. I know it's hard, but you're tough, Yang. Accept me now, and work to get better, not stronger, from now on. Ok?"

"You… You're right. Ok, Me." Yang flashed her Shadow a cocky grin, "What exactly do we need to do?"

"It's about time I got to see that shit-eating grin of ours!" Shadow Yang laughed, "Alright, first thing you can do is learn a new fighting style. You saw how Farran and Ruby were fighting, right? They used a different part of themselves to fight instead of their weapons. So what do you say we give it a try?"

Yang nodded, but when she looked up again, her Shadow had vanished. Time had started up again, and the sounds of the ongoing battle resumed. However, they were soon cut off by the thundering voice of her Shadow in her mind, so loud that it started to feel painful.  _I had almost gotten tired of waiting for you to accept me. Well then, now that we're on the same page, why don't we hurry up and make a contract? I am thou… Thou art I… Don't ever again doubt the strength of your own heart. Let the fire of your passion rage, burning brighter than anyone can ever hope to contain!_

* * *

Ruby sank to her knees, tired and nearly defeated. The pure number of Shiisa was just too much for only her to deal with, and whatever trance the big Shadow had put Farran under, it didn't look like he would be able to help any time soon. At this rate, the Shadows from the top of the tower would be getting to them any minute, and then it would be all over. She couldn't even muster the strength to summon Lupa anymore. She looked up at Viola, their navigator struggling to breathe as the Shadow held her by the neck. Then, she started to hear Yang laugh. Her eyes quickly flew to her sister, under the horse's foot. She was almost cackling, and her hair was growing brightly.

"You all… just messed up… big time. How dare you touch my baby sister?" Yang growled. All around her, little sparks started to rise, "I should warn you. Pissing me off is a  _very_ bad idea. Because when I get mad, I BURN!" The sparks that rose from her arms exploded into a raging inferno. The sudden fire spooked the horse above her, which quickly reared back and backed away. Unprepared, the Shadow lost its grip on Viola, and Ruby rushed over to stop the girl from falling to the floor. She watched Yang stand up, her whole body coated in flames, "I know you're listening Richards? You know, it's funny. Your name is so fitting. Because once we get ahold of you, and we will, I'M GONNA SHOVE A BAG OF BURNING DICKS DOWN YOUR THROAT!" Ruby's eyes went wide as she saw the same chains that she and Farran used to summon their Personas appear on her sister's wrists, "Now, let's light 'em up! Persona!"

Ruby watched as her sister threw a punch, the chains around her wrist shattering. The fire that covered her raged yet bigger and brighter, the whole blaze turning blue. Out of the fire rose the figure of a woman, garbed in a yellow robe. Her face was covered by a fearsome Grimm mask, out of which her hair, made of golden flames, ran down her back. The flames died down, only to reappear around the fists of Yang's Persona as it lowered to the ground next to her. She turned back to Ruby, a fierce grin plastered on her lips, "Are you gonna be ok to keep going for a little bit, Rubes?"

"Oh. Yea!" Ruby forced herself back to her feet, bringing out Lupa once more.

"Alright, let's bust our way out of here!" Yang punched her opened palm, "Burn 'em down, Pele!"

With Yang's renewed energy, and her new Persona, the two made quick work of the remaining Shiisa. Even their resistance to physical damage didn't help too much, as Pele's covered her fists with flames, burning the Shadows down where they stood. With Yang taking the lead, Ruby was able to drop back into a support role, sending out gusts of wind and healing Yang whenever it was needed. With only one Shiisa remaining, Pele charged it, snapping an uppercut to the bottom of its jaw. The Shadow soared into the air, as Pele raised her arms above her head, gathering flames into a giant ball, which she launched at the flying Shadow. The last they saw of it, the Shadow was being engulfed in flames over the chemical tank. With the horde dealt with, the sisters turned around to deal with the Horseman.

Only, the sight they found was far from what they expected. Now no longer under the Shadow's gaze, Farran stumbled back up to his feet, ethereal chai hanging loosely from his wrist. He charged at it, throwing the chain at the Shadow, which latched itself around the horse's neck.

"Become mine!" He yelled, as the half the chain turned a bright blue, while the other turned a deep black. The two colors moved back and forth, gaining ground on the other, until finally, the blue shot all the way up the chain, covering the Horseman, and both Shadow and chain disappeared. Farran slumped to his knees, holding his head as the other rushed over to him.

"Farran! Are you ok?" Viola dropped to her knees in front of him. She moved his hands away from his forehead, touching the back of her own to it, "Oh, you're burning up. We need to get you all back home."

"I'm fine, Viola. Really." Farran waved her off, "Just, whatever the hell that thing was doing, it messed with my head. What the hell was it anyway?"

She closed her eyes, deep in thought, "Headless Horseman. Arcana… Fool? I think? No, it's… Yea, it's definitely Fool. Sorry, my head's still swimming myself…"

"No, don't worry about it. If anything, I should be apologizing for letting it get to you." Farran shook his head, the pain already fading, "Anyway, congrats on your Persona, Yang. You're one of us now."

"Thanks!" She flashed him a thumbs up, "Not gonna lie, I really like Pele. She's really  _hot_ if you ask me! Eh? Eh?"

There was a pregnant pause before Ruby rolled her eyes and addressed the elephant in the room, "Anyways, what are you doing here? We sent you back home because it's dangerous!"

"I know, Rubes. I know… Look, I went home, and tried to cool off, but then I ran into Velvet, and we talked, some second year bitches threw her clothes in the pool, and it just pissed me off all over again. I know I shouldn't have come back, and I'm not saying I'm right, but I couldn't just sit around and do nothing! I'll play by your rules from now on, but at least I can make it up to you guys next time, right?"

The factory's alarms started blaring again, and Viola anxiously checked Farran's scroll, "Ok, we can save this all for later, but those Shadows are almost to the elevator. We need to get out now, or there won't be a next time."

The group nodded in agreement and started running full tilt towards the exit.

* * *

When the blue light faded, Farran, Ruby, and Yang fell to the ground, exhausted. They had barely made it out the front doors by the time the elevator came to a stop on the ground floor, and a mess of Shadows came pouring out. It had become an all-out footrace to their usual spot, but thanks to Viola having the app open and ready, they teleported from the Metaverse not a moment too soon. The dark sky above them showed that they had returned in the evening, bur much earlier than they had during their last trip. The shipping containers that had once filled the back corner had all but disappeared. A calm breeze blew past the alleyway, cooling them down after their sprint.

Yang forced herself back to her feet, groaning, "Why am I so tired? I'm not that out of shape…"

"Well, the Metaverse drains your energy and stamina normally." Viola explained, "Not to mention you fighting Shadows and awakening to your Persona. That certainly doesn't help."

"Right…" She yawned, "Well, we should be getting back to the dorm. We wait too long, and Weiss will form another search party for us, and I don't wanna get back on her shit list."

Ruby and Farran got up and started to leave, but Viola grabbed Farran's hand, stopping him, "Actually, you two go on ahead. We need to talk for a bit."

"Suit yourself. Just don't take too long." Yang shot Viola a wink, "And if you're gonna make out with Farran, I better get my turn next time! See you later, V!"

Viola stood there, stammering and blushing as she watched the two sisters leave. Once they were out of earshot, she whined, "Is she always so insufferable? Puns and then outright flirting?"

"You get used to it…" Farran leaned back against the alley wall, trying to keep himself upright, "Anyway, what do you want to talk about?"

Viola crossed her arms, concern covering her face, "You know very well what. What happened back there? That Shadow… The Horseman… None of that was normal. It didn't even show up on the security map! And then you fell into some sort of trance just by looking at it. Even the way you took it was abnormal. Are you ok?"

"Yea, I'm fine. I think whatever that thing is, it reminded me of my past. Something buried deep down in the memories that I lost." Farran thought back, remembering the music he had heard, "I didn't see anything, but I could hear a piano. It was so bizarre. As for that thing… If it's the Fool, it represents my bond with the team, and I seriously doubt that's the case. In any case… I don't like it. Is there any way for me to get rid of it now that I've taken it?"

She nodded, "We'll cover it in more detail when you next come to the Velvet Room, but you should be able to fuse it with another Persona to make a whole new one. I'd say that's your best bet for now. Speaking of… Here is a card for you to come to the Velvet Room. Whenever you feel the need, just do as you did last time. Just make sure it's blue side up this time!"

"Right…" Farran thought for a second, then turned back to her, "Hey, Viola. Do you have any plans for this week?"

"Plans? Well… Just sitting in the Velvet Room, waiting for you to come by, like always. That's just the life of a Velvet Room attendant. Why do you ask?"

"Right… I kinda forgot time doesn't really exist in there for you guys." Farran rubbed the back of his neck, "Well, I was just wondering if maybe you'd be interested in coming out to our world for a while, just hang out?"

She faked a gasp, "Farran Park! Could it be you're asking me out on a date?"

"More like I'm asking you to hang out, and was planning on asking Ruby and Yang to come along as well, but I have a feeling that's not gonna stop you from calling it that."

"And you would be right."

"Anyways, when we first made our bond, you talked about how we'd strengthen it in the Metaverse, but there's no saying that's what we have to do, right? Besides, I hate the idea of leaving you stuck in the Velvet Room, day after day, with nothing to do. It just doesn't sit right with me. And, maybe when we have the whole team involved, you can make it a more regular thing, you know?"

"Farran…" She stared at him, shell-shocked, "I honestly do not know what to say… It's certainly not forbidden for us to spend time in your world, nor is it unprecedented. The attendants before me made visits outside, but that was through their own request. For you to ask me to visit for my own sake, not even to discuss your role as a Wild Card user… I'm flattered, truly. And I'm sorry for making fun of you."

"Hey, it's ok, really. So, can I take that to mean you're in?"

"Yes. I'll join you whenever you wish to have me."

"Awesome! Great, I'll make some time on my schedule. I'm sorry if it isn't for a few days, but I'll make sure to get you out of there." Farran beamed at her, "Oh, I almost forgot. Salamander is the Persona that represents our bond. Sun, right?"

"Yes, I'm surprised you knew that."

"Process of elimination. But I was just wondering… Have you ever seen a desert before?"

"A desert?" She brought a finger to her chin, "No, can't say I have. Not in person, at least. I've spent my whole life in the Velvet Room before I met you. Why do you ask?"

"O-Oh, no reason in particular. Just a random thought." He laughed lamely, "Anyway, I need to get going before I pass out in this alley. I'll see you later, alright?"

The two said their goodbyes, and Viola disappeared back through the door into the Velvet Room. Farran made the trek back to the dorm, stifling a number of yawns on his way. Once he made it up the stairs to the third floor, he was stopped by a familiar voice calling to him from the kitchenette. He headed in, only to find Yang sleepily sitting on one of the couches, her legs stretched out across it. She moved her legs and motioned for him to sit down next to her.

"So, how'd your talk with Viola go?" She asked as he plopped down next to her, "She a good kisser?"

"Oh, you know it. Just couldn't get enough of me, that one. Didn't even know they made blueberry lipstick…" He waved airily with a smirk, "But seriously, what's up? I figured you'd be snoozing by now. I was dying by the time I got out of there last time."

"Yea, well… Just had a lot on my mind. I just need to talk to someone, or I'm gonna be stuck thinking about it all night. I can't really talk to Rubes about it… Well, I could, but I'd prefer not to. Do you got a sec?"

"Yea, sure. If you need me, I'm here for you." Farran put a hand on her shoulder, "You ok?"

"Yea, it's just… Well, I'm just stuck on what my Shadow said back there." She leaned forward, resting her chin on her hands, "Pretty much, she told me that I've been stuck on the idea that I'm not strong enough, or good enough, or whatever since I was a little kid. See, my mom… Raven… she left dad when I was just a baby. I always convinced myself it was cause I was too weak, cause she was always so obsessed with strength. From then on, I just got so focused on getting stronger, trying to be as strong as she was. Part of it was I wanted to find her someday and find out the real reason she left, cause I knew deep down it wasn't because of me. Dust knows there'll be a fight if I ever find her. Anyways, because I was so focused on getting stronger, everything else fell to the wayside. My grades, friendships, other hobbies… Not much else mattered to me at that point. I just can't keep living like that. It's gonna tear me down as a person, and as a Huntress, I won't be nearly as good as I need to be."

"I see… I don't really know what to say, Yang. I'm sorry to hear about your mom and all… Is there anything I can do for you?"

"Well, I was actually thinking there might be something, if you have some time after class tomorrow." She shot him a wide grin, "You and I are gonna go on a nice, long run!"

"A run? That's what you need my help with?"

"Yep! And no chickening out because of your knee either. I'm not gonna be pushing you too hard, and we can stop to rest whenever you need to. It's just my usual way of clearing my head is working out, but that would just be falling into the same old habits. At least by going on a run, I won't be worrying about getting stronger, and we can talk about what I need to do to get my life back in order. I have some ideas for goals I want to set, but I'd like to hear your thoughts too. …Does that sound alright with you?"

"Yea. I'm free tomorrow, so just let me know when you want to head out."

The two sat there for a while, making small talk and laughing together, until after a while, fatigue finally set in and guided them to bed. From his futon, Farran watched as Yang climbed into her bunk, and gave him a small wave goodnight. The sensation of time freezing that had become all too familiar to him set in again, and he could hear the voice of his Shadow in his mind.

_"I am thou, thou art I…_

_Thou hast acquired a new vow._

_It shall become a Beacon in the darkness_

_To lead you down the path to your own justice._

_With the birth of the Chariot Persona,_

_You have obtained unforeseen power_

_That will allow you to remake your Fate anew."_

As the voice faded, Farran could feel his eyelids growing heavier, and within seconds of closing them, he fell into a calm, dreamless sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Salamander: Lizard-like amphibians of the order Urodela. Commonly found across Europe, parts of Asia, and the Americas. Seriously though, way back when, there were legends associating Salamanders with fire. They sort of took on a lot of mythological connotations through those legends.
> 
> Pele: Hawaiian Goddess of fire and volcanoes. NOT the football/soccer superstar! I thought she was a good pick for Yang because, on top of the obvious fire connection, what I read about her described Pele as powerful, passionate, and impulsive.
> 
> Headless Horseman: There are a number of tales of Headless Horsemen across the world, but the one I'm drawing from is The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. The Headless Horseman pursued Ichabod Crane, a school teacher, as he returned home from a party after being scorned by the woman he loved. While the Horseman was said to have been a rival for her affection, the end of the story goes on to say that Mr. Crane disappeared, and that his melancholic ghost had been seen in the area of the chase.


	9. Chapter 9

**I Need To Get Better**

"So, where exactly are we going?"

After classes had ended, Yang dragged Farran back to the dorm to get changed into some clothes suitable for running. Now dressed in a grey shirt and black shorts, he followed the blonde brawler down the path behind the dorms into the campus's gardens. Yang, who wore an orange tank top and runner's shorts, walked to slightly quicker pace, evidently excited to get wherever they were headed. She turned and shot him a smug smile as they walked.

"Don't tell me you've never been out to the gardens, Farran." She fussed about pulling a hair tie off her wrist, "You've been at Beacon for… almost two weeks now? It's seriously right out the back door from the dorms!"

"Yea, well forgive me for not exactly having a reason to come back here. Two weeks still isn't that long, and besides that, I really don't know all too many people."

"Well it  _is_ the most popular make out spot on campus. Are you really gonna tell me nobody's invited you back here yet?"

"Oh, so that's why you were so excited to get over here." Farran raised an eyebrow, "Yang, you really didn't need to go through this whole running charade. You could've just asked."

Yang started squirming innocently, "Well, I didn't want to assume you were interested in me. It's my first time, so please be gentle…" She slugged him on the shoulder, "No, you dork. There's this really awesome running track back here. Nice, private, and in the shade too. Plus it's further back than anyone really goes, so we wont be bothered. Not a whole lot of people use it cause they prefer the ones by the gyms. Quicker access to the showers that way. But since we're gonna be talking about… stuff, I'd prefer the privacy."

Farran couldn't help but agree with her sentiment. Not only was Yang requesting his help with some rather personal stuff, but they'd most likely be talking openly about the Metaverse as well. He'd prefer nobody drag the two of them into some psychological evaluation session after a student, or more likely one of Richards's cameras, overheard them talking about Shadows, Personas, and traveling to another world. Still, even though Farran didn't consider himself much of a runner, he knew the weather was perfect for a run on an outdoor track. Sunny, but yet still cool, with plenty of cloud cover and light wind to cool them down as they ran. The definition of a perfect spring day, as far as he was concerned. Apparently it was a thought shared by the rest of the student body, as all throughout the gardens, and the rest of the campus as well, they passed groups of students lazing about in the shade, enjoying the atmosphere with their friends and teammates. The farther they passed into the gardens, the quieter the buzz from the other groups got, until it disappeared entirely when they reached their destination. The tree line opened up to a dirt track that encircled a small, quiet pond. Pinpricks of sunlight peeked through the branches, but otherwise the track and pond stayed completely shaded. Farran let out a low whistle, prompting Yang to nod knowingly.

"In any case," She pulled her hair back, tying it in a ponytail, "Is that seriously the best you have to run in? I swear to Dust, you've worn a different grey shirt every single day so far."

"It is, I have, and it's not my fault. You can blame Ozpin, or whoever he sent to get me clothes." Farran knelt down, pulling his brace up over his knee, and stretching his leg a bit, "I swear, that guy's just trying to force the whole grey part of my name at this point."

"Well, you got some Lien from the Metaverse, right? That's what Ruby said last night. Why don't you go buy some new threads?" She helped him back to his feet, and the two took off, running at an easy pace.

"I would, but I just got that money last night. Haven't had any time to spend it yet." Farran grunted, thankful his bad knee was holding up well, "In any case, you can hardly criticize me for only wearing one color. Everything you wear is yellow or orange, just like what you have on now. Hell, you wear those crop tops enough, I'm surprised you're not wearing one now."

"I have plenty of clothes that aren't yellow or orange, thank you. As for that, well…" She started awkwardly, "I had thought about it, but it brought up some bad memories of my Shadow. When she first showed up, she was just wearing one with a pair of shorts, and cat ears. Not really something I want to remember…"

Farran thought back to his own bizarre encounter with his other self. While acquiring his Persona was invaluable, it certainly wasn't an experience he remembered fondly, "Can't really blame you. There's a reason I didn't want anyone else involved. Didn't want you guys going through it."

"Yeah… Say, what was it like for you guys, if you don't mind me asking? I've been curious, but I have a feeling Rubes won't want to talk about it with me."

"Well…" He thought a minute on how to best summarize everything, "So, like yours, our Shadows went over what they represented, beating it into our heads, and then trying to build us up from there. For mine, do you remember the way I looked the day I first came to the dorm? That's what he looked like, right down to the clothes, hair and all. I guess it was a way to represent the past I can't remember. As for Ruby's, from what she told me, it was her as a little girl in a black dress and funeral veil. She can't remember that far, but she figures it was what she wore to her mom's funeral, cause her Shadow represented her fear of people dying."

"Huh…" Her gaze dropped to the ground in front of them, "So, for mine, it looked like that because that's how I think a weak version of me would look? Or something?"

"I'd say that's a good guess. You're obviously not afraid of how you look, but at the same time, you don't seem like the type to go that far to flaunt it. So, you probably saw that as a version of yourself that was weak enough to become so submissive, that you'd dress like that without question."

"I see…"

The two ran for a while in relative silence, with Yang trailing off into her own thoughts. A peaceful atmosphere pervaded the track, as the only sounds that could be heard was the crunching of dirt beneath their feet, and the various cries of birds and insects deep in the woods. Farran watched as the head of a turtle peaked up from the middle of the pond, blinking confusedly at the two runners. It swam over to the far bank, dragging its body up to warm itself in a small patch of sunlight. After a bit, Yang shook her head and smiled at Farran apologetically.

"Sorry about that. I didn't mean to be so gloomy. Just thinking about that other world and the Shadows and Velvet… It's still a lot to take in. I can't believe you two were able to keep it a secret for as long as you did."

"We had to. Not like we could go running around the campus telling everyone we went to another world. Even you guys would've treated us like we were nuts. And don't worry about it. As long as you're ok, that's all that matters." He reached over and ruffled her hair, only to have his hand smacked away, "Anyways, what was it you wanted to come out all this way to talk about? I doubt it was just so we could talk about last night."

"Right! No more negativity." She pumped her arms, "After last night, I'm done focusing on strength and nothing else. If that's the way Raven wants to live, fine. But I'm here in the real world, and I can't afford to live like she does. That's why you and me, right now, are gonna hammer out some ideas for goals I need to set so I can improve myself. And, if you're willing, I'm probably gonna need some help accomplishing them too."

"Sure, I'm game. You sound like you have some ideas of your own, though."

She nodded, "First off, I want to totally revamp my fighting style. I don't know if you pay attention to me during class, but I have a bad habit of completely ignoring the fundamentals of my style. If I'm not doing something super flashy, I'm going right for the knockout blow. And I need to figure out how to use my Semblance better than it just being a get out of jail free card."

"Ok, that's a good start. I'm not sure how much help I can be though. Not like I'm some martial arts master or anything."

"No, but even so, you're still good for a sparring partner. And don't worry, I'll watch out for your knee like always." She looked down at the black brace around his knee, "How's it feel, by the way. You need to stop and take a break?"

"Nah, I'm ok. It's not hurting too bad yet. I'll let you know if I need to stop." He wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead, "So, your fighting style's a good start. What's next?"

"Next is, and if you laugh, I'm shoving you into the pond… I want to ace all of our classes, and I want to beat Weiss's exam scores." She frowned as she saw Farran raise both eyebrows, "What?! I hope you don't think I'm stupid or something."

"No, it's not that. It's just beating Weiss is gonna be seriously difficult. Not just for you, but for anybody. You sure that's something you want to go for?"

"I do. And I know it'll be tough. But if I can ace all the exams, and beat her, even if it's just on one exam, that'll be enough for me. I'm not stupid, I know I'm not. But I just need to do this so that I can prove it to myself that it's possible."

"Right. Well, you can count on me to help you out. I'm not gonna try to convince you I'm a genius or anything, but I can promise to help you study at the very least. I'm sure if we asked, we could probably get Blake to help. Weiss too, now that I think about it. She'd probably be ecstatic if you asked her. Probably wouldn't mention wanting to beat her exam scores though. I have a feeling she's a mite bit competitive in that regard."

Yang punched her opened palm, "She can be competitive all she wants! Not gonna stop me from taking her down. And we'll have to make sure we get Ruby whenever we're all studying. She's really smart in her own right, you know. I think she gets it from Summer, cause she's so much more naturally smart than me. Buuut it balances out because having her pay attention is damn near impossible for more than a few minutes."

"Hey, don't sell yourself short. I know you absolutely adore your sister, but it's like you said, you're not exactly an idiot either. But yea, sounds good to me. We'll get everyone together and make sure Team RWBY is the top ranked team at Beacon." He stuck a hand up in the air which Yang emphatically high-fived.

"Hell yeah! Nobody can top the five of us if we all work on it together." She beamed, "So, that's the two big things I've got so far. Do you have any suggestions?"

"I do, actually. I noticed that you're talking about improving yourself, and that's great. Really, it is. But have you stopped to think about what you want to do for fun while you're doing all this? Like hobbies and stuff?"

"Hobbies? Well, no…" Her face sunk, "Honestly, I don't even know what to do for fun anymore. I play video games with Ruby every so often, but other than that… I just got so caught up with working out that I haven't done much else for fun for a while. I tried asking some of my friends from Signal to hang out before class today, just to see if anyone was free later this week, but they're all so busy with their teams and their new friends. It seems like I'm getting left behind again…"

Farran waved a hand in front of her face, "Hey, didn't you just get done saying you weren't gonna be negative? You aren't getting left behind by anyone. People make new friends and grow distant, it happens, but it isn't your fault. What's important is that you have us now, and we're not leaving you behind. So since you have me, let's come up with some stuff for you to do in your free time, yea? Now… You like to cook, right? You always make kickass dinners on the weekends."

"Well… Yea, I've always liked to cook, and it was kinda my job at home. Just haven't done it as often because the dining hall is much more convenient."

"Actually, I'd been meaning to bring this up for a little bit, but after the fiasco that was our attempt at baking cookies the other day, Weiss talked about wanting to ask you to teach her how. And in all honesty, I wouldn't be against learning myself."

"Well why didn't you just say so?" She clapped him across the back, "I'd definitely be up for teaching you guys! Speaking of… You didn't happen to snap any pics of Ice Queen covered in flour and cookie batter, did you?"

"Maybe I did, maybe I didn't. Maybe I've been saving them for a bargaining chip. What's it worth to you?"

"Oh, I can think of a couple things…" Her voice turned sultry, and she shot Farran a wink.

" _Anyways_ …" Yang snickered as flecks of pink appeared on his cheeks, "So, that's one thing. And I'd personally always be down to play video games if you ever needed someone to join. Not to mention I'd love to see Weiss's reaction to them. Other than that, do you have anything else you think you'd want to try? I mean, there's always art, music, writing, photography… You name it. Hell, I'm not sure if you'd be into it, but I'm sure between our other three teammates, one of them has to have some books you'd be interested in."

"Books? Yea, I dunno about that. Maybe Blake has something, and I wouldn't really turn it down if it was interesting enough, but I've never been much of a reader. Never been much of an artist either, I can barely draw stick figures. As for music… I've always wanted to learn how to play a guitar! There never really was anyone around our house in Patch that knew, but it's always seemed interesting to me."

"Oh, a guitar? That's easy, I can teach you how to play if you want." The words fell out of his mouth before he even realized what he was saying. Farran froze, staring off into space, "Wait… I can?"

Yang skidded on her heels, backing up to him, "Hey… Farran, you ok?"

He shook his head to clear his mind, "Yea, I'm ok. Just a memory popping up again. I guess I do, or at least did, know how to play a guitar. So, if you want to save up some cash for one, I can teach you."

"Oh, ok…" She looked entirely unconvinced, "Yea, I'll have to save up some Lien. Thanks Farran."

On that awkward note, the two continued their run for some time. Still, the rush running brought to Farran's mind felt amazing, and it wasn't long before the two were talking and joking again. Farran tried to push his knee as much as he could, but Yang made sure they took frequent breaks before he felt any serious pain. After about an hour of running on and off, the two finally decided to call it quits, collapsing in a small, shaded clearing off the trail. They were hot and sweating, but the nice calm breeze over the pond cooled them immensely as they lay there.

"Gods, I'm tired. Gonna need to take a nice, long shower when we get back to the dorm." Farran groaned.

"Yea, same. Didn't plan on being out here so long, but I can hardly complain." Once she caught her breath, she husked, "You know, we could save some time and shower together, if you wanted…"

"And here we go with the flirting again!" Farran pressed both hands against his face, laughing, "What exactly would you do if I took you up on that offer?"

"I dunno, why don't you just try it and find out?" She winked.

"You know, one of these days I'm gonna call your bluff, and then where will we be?" He rolled over to look at her, "Seriously though, you do realize I'm at least trying not to make things awkward between the five of us, right? Since we're gonna be living together for the next four years."

"Oh please. They live with me, remember? Not a whole hell of a lot you could do make things any more awkward."

"True…" Farran stared out into the air above her before he continued, "Hey, Yang. This is gonna sound dumb, but just how close are the four of you? You know, you, Ruby, Weiss, and Blake?"

"How close? I dunno. That's kinda an off the wall question. Why do you ask?"

"Just curious, is all." He rolled onto his back, staring at the immaculate blue sky through the trees, "When I first met Ozpin, he told me that we need to have complete trust in each other. Don't take this the wrong way, but outside you and Ruby, it just seems to me like everything between you four is kinda superficial. Like, you'll do all the things normal teammates do, but there's some serious walls there."

"I see what you mean." Yang frowned, "Honestly, I think we're all trying in our own ways, cause we all get along and like each other, but there's stuff just beneath the surface that stops us from trusting one another. Our Shadows… Even Ruby and I, close as we are, couldn't get past 'em. It's stupid now that I think about it, but what happened to us as kids, with Raven and Summer… Deep down we must've stopped trusting other people, thinking they'd just end up leaving."

"It's not stupid! That's some really serious stuff for kids to have to deal with. Gods know I'd be the same… But yea, I don't know if I ever would have opened up about how much not knowing my past affected me if it weren't for my Shadow. I'd imagine Blake and Weiss'll be the same way."

"Yeah…" She rolled over on her side, facing him, propping her head up with her arm, "Do you think they're gonna be ok? Facing their other selves?"

"I think so. Weiss and Blake are strong. The problem is, accepting it is one thing. Being comfortable enough to work with all of us to get past it is completely different. And that's the case for all of us, not just them."

There was a long pause before Farran heard her mutter, "I wonder if it's possible for us to lose our Personas once we get them."

"I dunno. We'll have to ask Viola if she knows anything about that." Farran guessed that she hadn't meant for him to hear her, as she looked up in surprise at his response, "In any case, I don't think you need to worry about that. At least, not yet. Remember, you're the one who sat out waiting for me so we could talk. Nobody forced you to, so I'd say that's a great step. Although, you and Ruby really need to get together and talk about all this too. Not only are you teammates, you're family."

"Ugh… You're right." She grimaced for a second, "Anyway, I've been meaning to ask about Viola. She came from that Velvet Room place you talked about, right? Has she always been there? And the hell even is it, anyway?"

"It's a place that exists between dream and reality, mind and matter!" Farran put on his best Igor impression, "Hell, I dunno. Igor never explained it that well. But Viola did say she's been there her whole life. That's why I invited her to hang out on our side sometime this week. I was kinda hoping you and Ruby might be able to help me out with it…"

"D'awww, you want us to help babysit your girlfriend?"

"Not babysit... I just hate that she's stuck in there, you know? Nobody should be left in that kind of situation, so…"

"Hey, calm down. I was just kidding. I'll definitely help you out, and I'm sure Rubes will too. I still owe her for helping to save my ass yesterday, anyway. And if she's gonna be working with us, it'll be good to get to know her." She forced herself to her feet, "You know, I've been thinking."

"I hope you haven't hurt yourself."

"Haha, you're such a comedian. But seriously, I've been thinking that we shouldn't bring Weiss or Blake in with us until we take out Richards's Shadow." She looked down at Farran, "It's just not going to be safe until he's gone, you know? There's always gonna be a ton of Shadows swarming the place, and that's not the best situation to throw either of them in, even if they can handle their other selves."

"I think you may be right. I just hope neither of them get too pissed at us for hiding it. That, and I hope neither of them decide to stalk us and sneak in when we're in the middle of something."

"Hey, I said I was sorry!" She stretched, "Alright, I desperately need to change out of these clothes. You wanna head back?

Farran nodded, and she helped him back to his feet. The gardens had started to overflow with relaxing students during their run, now nearly triple the number that had been there when they started. Farran and Yang made small talk all the way back to the dorm room, which still remained empty. Yang grabbed Farran and turned right, pulling him towards the bathroom. She paused in the doorway, turning around to face him with a mischievous smile. She closed her eyes, leaning up towards him with her lips pursed. Farran rolled his eyes, but decided to play along, mimicking her. Just when their lips were about to make contact, Yang shoved him away and slammed the door in his face. From either side of the door, the two shared a long laugh, until they both had to catch their breath. Farran moved over to his futon, grabbing his change of clothes, and feeling the surge in his heart as his bond with Yang grew stronger.

* * *

**Heiress's Song**

The next day, Farran trudged back to the dorm, his hair still slightly damp from having showered and changed in the locker room. He opened the door to the empty room, where he proceeded to flop onto his futon, exhausted and disheartened. Their afternoon period had been taken up by combat practice, as Professor Goodwitch organized a series of matches between students. Now that he had finally been cleared to participate, he finally had his chance at his long awaited rematch with Cardin. Even though he had his change of heart, from the look in Goodwitch's eye, Farran could tell she arranged the match on purpose. Shadow Cardin hadn't been kidding when he said that he wouldn't be so easy to beat a second time. Despite not exactly being weak, Farran easily lost the strength advantage to Cardin, whose blows were easily as strong as his Shadow's. Farran was forced back on his heels, and had to use speed to have a chance, luring Cardin in before surprising him and the rest of the class by summoning his wings for the first time. Momentum quickly moved into his favor, as his wings allowed to get him in and out of range far too fast for Cardin to counter. In the end, his speed won the day, and Goodwitch announced Farran the victor once Cardin's aura dropped into the red. Much to his surprise, Cardin shook his hand and thanked him for a great match once they had left the arena floor.

Had that been the end of it, Farran would not have been so downtrodden, as the adrenaline from his first victory kept him riding high to the end of class. That is, until for the last match of the afternoon, Goodwitch announced that he would be having a match with Pyrrha. While Farran handled her better than any of the others he had seen her fight in class so far, "better" still wasn't much. Pyrrha's aura had dropped to a little more than half by the time she finished Farran off, trouncing him and any sort of adrenaline he once had. Farran glowered at the dorm room ceiling at the memory. Even knowing her Semblance, control over an object's polarity, didn't help, as he couldn't possibly account for just how much control she had until he had actually been in a fight with her. Still, he found himself thankful that his wings were silver, not iron or steel, and thus weren't affected by her Semblance.

Over to his right, he heard the door to the dorm room open and close, no doubt one of his teammates returning from class. He paid them no mind, his head still filled with the frustration of defeat, until he heard the sounds of their footsteps approach his bed, a bright, smiling face surrounded by a mane of blonde hair looking down at him.

"Hey, guess what!" Yang's voice was bright and cheery, but when she saw the melancholic look on his face, she frowned, "Ok, seriously, don't get so bent out of shape just because you lost one practice match. It's Pyrrha! She's not exactly a pushover, you know. Now scoot over, I want to show you something."

Farran did as he was told and moved over to the side a bit. He wasn't sure whether or not he surprised, but once he moved, Yang plopped down on the futon next to him. "You and your sister don't really care about personal space, do you?"

In response, she just slid up closer to him, rubbing her side against his, "So, you know how we were talking about you teaching me to play guitar yesterday, right?"

"And I'm ignored. But yes, I remember."

"Well, I did some digging today, and I found this one site that sells a whole lot of beautiful ones." She pulled out her scroll, opening up the browser, "It might take up most of what I have, but I think I can afford one, if you don't mind helping me out with grocery costs with your Metaverse funds. Want to help me pick one out?"

Much to her credit, all the guitars Yang had found seemed to be beautifully built. The site contained a wide variety of both acoustic and electrics, some names that Farran couldn't even remember. The two browsed a bit, narrowing her choices to a few. Just as they had cut the list to about four, the door opened again and in walked Weiss. Once she saw the pair, she approached the futon, her hands on her hips.

"I sincerely hope you two aren't doing anything untoward." She frowned.

Yang wrapped her arm around Farran's, leaning her head against his shoulder, "Oh no, you found out that Farran and I are secretly dating. Good job, Snowflake. You cracked the case." She laughed as Weiss rolled her eyes, "Trust me Weiss, nothing's going on. Farran just promised to teach me to play the guitar if I bought one, so we were trying to decide which one to get."

Weiss's face lit up for a second, but it quickly faded, "Oh, I see. A guitar… if you don't mind me asking, what exactly were you planning on getting? And were you thinking acoustic or electric?"

"Well, that's what we were trying to figure out." Farran looked over the final list, "For electric we thought she might want a Dobson Double Cut, or for acoustic maybe a Bristle S23, but-"

"Dobson? Bristle? You can't be serious!" With speed Farran had come to expect from Ruby, Weiss zipped to his other side, planting herself firmly next to him and swiping the scroll from his hands, "And at these prices? No, no, no. Not on my watch."

Yang looked at Farran, then back to Weiss, who was furiously typing on her scroll, "Uhh… Weiss? You ok over there?"

"Hush!" Weiss brought up a hand to silence her, then resumed typing, "I'm simply sending these charlatans a strongly worded email for daring to charge such outrageous prices for rubbish." After a few seconds, she seemed content with what she had written and sent it, "There. Hopefully that will settle things. Now Yang, I know you're a beginner, but if you truly are dedicated to learning, I promise you you'll want the best sound possible. For electric, you can never go wrong with a Tibson, however I've always been biased towards a Sender Mesocaster. I know some would take issue, but it's a timeless classic for a reason, and-"

"Hoooold on there, Snowflake." Yang cut her off, "I appreciate the help, but how do you know so much about guitars? You really don't seem like the type to get geeked out over them."

Weiss didn't move at the accusation, but Farran could see a wave of deep scarlet spread from her cheeks to the tips of her ears, "W-Well… I-It's just… I m-mean, I'm not necessarily…"

Farran poked her in the ribs, eliciting a small squeak, "Weiss, really, it's ok. Honestly, it's good you know so much about them, cause while I do know how to play, I've got no idea how different they are."

Weiss cleared her throat, "Yes, well… You see, I don't know if I've said before, but I'm an accomplished musician myself. While not anything too grand, when I was still in Atlas, I had a reputation as a talented singer and pianist." Yang snickered, drawing the ire of the silver-haired girl, "I'm sorry, I was under the impression Ruby was the youngest on our team. In any case, I first got into music through my grandfather, who was a proficient violinist in his own right."

"Ok, but then how did you get interested in guitars?"

"I will admit, my musical tastes and experience have been limited by… circumstances. Mainly classical music, orchestra, opera, anything of those sorts. However, my butler Klein, I believe I talked with you about him before, is a guitar fanatic. Unfortunately, his tastes are even more exclusive than mine, solely consisting of jazz and blues, especially anything mellow and slow. I will admit, his tastes slowly started to drift into my music as well, as I often practiced while he played when my father was at work. Incidentally, the reason I'm so fond of the Mesocaster is because he received one from a friend of a friend. Truly a beautiful instrument, even if Klein's acoustic guitars meshed better with my music. But after practicing with him for so long, I started becoming infatuated with guitars myself, and heavily researched them. Not that I could ever own one of my own, of course…"

"So… Classical, Jazz, and Blues, and that's it?" Yang furrowed her brow, "No Pop or Rap or Ska? Hell, not even any Rock?! Damn, you were seriously sheltered, weren't you?"

"Well, I prefer to think my tastes are more refined than repressed!" Weiss huffed, but her face soon sunk and she started twiddling her thumbs, "Although, I will admit part of the reason I haven't been singing since arriving at Beacon is that my music has gotten rather stale, in my opinion. Not to sound pretentious, I still think my music sounds good, but all the songs I've written have started to blur together a bit, and they're all starting to sound the same."

"Do you think it might be because of how limited your tastes are?" Farran offered, "Since you only listen to certain things, you don't know where else to go with your own music?"

Weiss nodded, "While I wouldn't say that's the only reason, it certainly is part of the problem. I just don't have a clue where I to even start. I hate to admit I'm rather picky, and I don't want my whole opinion on a genre to be formed by bad examples."

"You have every right to be picky." Yang frowned, "Weiss, you're a professional, right? Anyone who has a lot of experience in something is going to have higher standards. Look at Ruby, for example. I'm no slouch when it comes to fixing up Ember Celica, but when it comes to Crescent Rose, I think the only person on campus that can find top quality parts like her is Professor Peach!"

"Well, you certainly have a point…"

"Course I do! Now how about this, I can't guarantee everything's going to live up to your expectations, but I do listen to a lot of music. I could come up with a playlist of the best from the different genres I listen to, and hopefully it'll give you a better understanding of them. At least, you'll have something different to listen to. Gods know, I'd drive myself insane if I listened to the same stuff for a day, let alone seventeen years."

Weiss stared at her, her eyes wide, "Yang… I appreciate the gesture, I really do, but I can't ask you to do something like that. That would take far too much of your time, and I don't really have anything to give back to you in return."

"Give back? Weiss, you don't have to give me anything. Hell, I've been thinking of doing it on my own time anyway, just for some fun!" Weiss tried to retort, but Yang cut her off, "If you're really that desperate to pay me back, you can help me when I cook for a while. I'm gonna try to start doing that more, and I'd appreciate the help."

Weiss glanced between Yang and Farran for a bit, until she finally nodded, "I suppose your terms are agreeable.. Very well then, I accept."

"Great! Now about that guitar…"

"Oh, right! Now, obviously I prefer the Mesocaster, but I will admit that they're expensive, and I don't know what your budget is for this, so maybe…" Weiss rambled on for a bit, going over the pros and cons of various guitars. While she was distracted, Farran turned to Yang and mouthed a silent "Thank you", to which she just smiled and nodded, "In any case, since you're just going to be practicing, and you're a bit light on funds, I think this acoustic is the way to go. In my opinion, it offers the best sound for a reasonable price."

Yang took the scroll from her and let out a low whistle, "Yea, this is the one. Damn, I don't know the first thing about guitars, and even I know this one's better than what we were looking at. Nice find, Weiss!"

The three sat there for a while, going over the guitar, and after some discussion, Yang decided she would buy it. The website, a different one than the one Yang had first used, as per the insistence of Weiss, announced that her order would be arriving in a little over a week. While Yang started to get excited, Weiss reminded the both of them that midterms were just around the corner, and she expected both of them to put academics first. Yang started to groan about the minder, only to earn an elbow to the side from Farran.

"What was that fo- Oh!" Realization crossed her face, "Hey, Weiss. Speaking of midterms, I actually have a favor to ask, if you don't mind."

"A favor?" She raised her eyebrows, "Sure, go ahead."

"Well, I know I give you a lot of crap about how focused you are on your studies, and I know you're already busy tutoring Farran, but I've been doing a lot of thinking. See, I wanted to try and ace all our exams this year, and I was really sort of hoping you would be willing to help me out?"

"Ace? You mean like, get all A's? Well, I certainly wouldn't mind helping you, in fact I'm proud and a bit touched that you would ask, but are you sure you want my help?"

She nodded emphatically, "Of course! Are you kidding, Weiss? The only other person in our year that's on your level is Pyrrha. I'm gonna need someone like you to keep me going with this."

"Yang… I…" She shook her head, "No. Thank you, Yang. I really appreciate you saying that? And of course I'll help you. I just hope you don't expect me to go easy on you. Farran can attest to the fact that I expect the best."

"Ha! No sweat." Yang shot her a cocky grin, "I'm gonna give this my all, just you wait."

"Excellent. Then I'll look forward to your performance from now-"

Weiss was interrupted by the door swinging open, as in walked Ruby and Blake. The latter gave them a wave, but when the former saw the three of them grouped together on the futon, she put her hands on her hips, pouting,

"No fair! First you all go out for burgers without me, and now you three are cuddling together? I want my turn!"

And with that, she sped around the desk and flopped onto the three of them. Farran just barely managed to move his hands out of the way before she landed, her waist and hips on his lap, her chest and above on Yang's, and legs sprawled across Weiss's. Farran was left to sigh at the situation, as Yang belted out laughing, and Weiss was left a stammering mess. Although, from her position, and what he could assume Weiss's view was like, he couldn't exactly blame her.

"Ruby, you dork." Yang ran a hand through her sister's hair, "You were hanging out with Pyrrha and Nora that night! You wouldn't have ditched them for burgers, would you?"

Their leader thought for a second, "Well, no… But it was still Weiss's first burger, and it would've been nice to at least been invited."

"Ruby Rose, you incorrigible half-wit!" Weiss hissed, "Just how many times must I go over the concept of personal space?!"

"Awww, but Weiss, cuddling with you is so much fun! Besides, you were already cuddling with Farran and Yang. Why am I not allowed to join?"

"We weren't cuddling, you dolt! We were simply having a discussion!"

"Oh yeah? It sure looked like you were cuddling. How come you're allowed to cuddle with Farran, but when I try to cuddle with you, you kick me off the bed?"

"First off, I was  _not_  cuddling! Farran and Yang were looking at her scroll, and needed to show me something, so I came down here next to them. Second, what do you expect me to do when you try to climb in my bed when I'm already asleep?!"

An amused Blake pulled up the chair closest to them, her scroll in hand, "Well now, this is going to be quite the picture."

A look of horror flooded Weiss's face, "Blake, don't you dare!"

Before Weiss could protest much more, Blake raised her scroll, which soon let out a flash of light and the sound of a camera shutter. The resulting picture caught a beaming Ruby, Yang giving Blake a peace sign, Weiss covering her scarlet face with her hands, and for the more observant, Farran giving the camera a one finger salute from his hand mostly blocked by Ruby's shoulder. After a bit of a struggle, Weiss finally freed herself from Ruby's legs, and much to their leader's dismay, pulled her off of Farran and Yang as well. Still laughing, Yang scrambled to her feet, and turned around to help Farran to his.

"Alright, Team!" Yang proclaimed with a grin, "I'm in a good mood tonight, so I'm gonna cook dinner. Who wants to come help me pick out groceries?"

"Ooh! I wanna come!" Ruby bounded to her sister's side.

"How about you, Blakey? You wanna come with?"

Blake looked about awkwardly for a second, "Me? I dunno, I was just planning on hanging out here and-"

"Reading?" Yang stared at her unimpressed, "Come on, Blake. Can't surround yourself with books forever. Besides, you come with us, I'll let you pick out what I make!"

There was a pause before Blake gave her a serious look, "Only if we can have fish tonight."

"Deal! Alright, Farran and Weiss, if you two don't mind, can you get the kitchen ready for me while we're gone? I'll send you a text when we figure out what I'm gonna need."

The two nodded, and with that, their teammates departed, heading for the city of Vale. Since they were left alone, Farran and Weiss decided to have an impromptu study session until Yang sent them their instructions. Farran started digging through his bag, looking for his notebook, but quickly became distracted by Weiss. The heiress seemed to be more genuinely happy and excited than he had ever remembered seeing her since he arrived. Weiss hurried him up, and the two busied themselves with studying. After a while, when still no text from Yang came, Farran looked up at Weiss, determined to ask her something that had been stuck in his mind.

"Hey Weiss… If it's alright…" Farran stumbled over his words, "I don't really mean to bring the mood down, but when you were talking about your music, it seemed to me that something else was holding you back too. Mind if I ask what?"

Weiss's face deflated slightly, but she nodded, "It's fine, since I've already discussed part of this with you before. You see, my father was very particular with exactly what kinds of styles I was allowed to adopt into my music, despite never showing up to my performances. After a while, my style started to range from slightly melancholic to outright depressing, depending on my mood. Very little positivity or happiness, in my tune or lyrics. So, part of the reason I never ventured out into anything else, and the reason my music has all started to sound the same, is because my biggest passion was being chained down from the start."

"You know, I haven't met the guy, so tell me if I'm getting the wrong idea, but your father  _really_ sounds like an asshole." Weiss struggled to stifle a laugh at his response, "But hey, you're here now. And you know you can trust us, right?"

"I… I know." Weiss sighed, "I'm trying Farran, I really am. But after the past seventeen years, trusting other people is hard. Had you not been so persistent, I probably never would have talked about any of this. Even so, I'm doing what I can to open up to you all."

"I know you are, and you're doing good. You even told us all about how much you like guitars, and that's something you kept inside for a long time, right? There's just one thing I'd like you to do, if you wouldn't mind."

"…And that is?"

Farran flashed her a sincere smile, "If it's not a problem, I'd really love to hear you sing."

"You want to hear me sing?" Small flecks of pink dotted her face, "I mean, I don't mind singing, but after everything I told you about my music, you still want to hear it? Even with how depressing it is?"

"Yea, why not? Even if it's sad, I'd still love to hear it. Hell, once we get a guitar in here, I'd love to play along to you singing too. What do you say?"

A content smile crossed her lips, "I would be happy to sing for you, Farran."

Their studying all but forgotten, Weiss started searching through her things, eventually bringing out a notebook. She explained that it was what she wrote all her songs in while she was working on them. Farran watched as she flipped through the pages, trying to decide on which song she would perform, her face absolutely glowing with excitement. As they sat there, Farran felt that familiar surge in his heart. After a bit, Weiss finally found a song she was content to sing, and stood up, moving to the center of the room.

"Who am I to complain? My life's been spared so much pain…

Born with all that I need… My comforts all guaranteed..."

* * *

**A World I've Never Seen**

"So… All you gotta do is rip that card… it'll explode into flames… and you'll be able to go in?"

Farran, Yang, and Ruby stood around in the dorm room bathroom the next day after classes, Farran holding the blue card Viola had given him. Blake and Weiss had long since left to attend to their own plans, leaving the three to decide to bring Viola over to the real world. Given her rather unique appearance, the trio figured it would be easier to escort her from campus from the dorms, rather than having her trek through the library, all the way out the school building, and across campus to the airship docks. All that was left was for Farran to enter the Velvet Room, and rather than leave it to chance that either of their teammates might return while the dorm room was enveloped in blue flames, they opted for the privacy of the bathroom.

"Yea, pretty much. Never been in this way, though. Usually Igor just calls me in while I sleep." Farran flipped the card over and over again in his hand, "You know, I wonder what would happen if-"

"Farran, no." Ruby warned, "She specifically told you to tear it blue side up. What would happen if it screws up and you can't get another one?"

"I know, I was just kidding. Not like I want her tearing into me anyway."

With that, Farran tore the card in two. Immediately, both halves ignited, sapphire flames exploding from Farran's hands. He tossed both pieces to the floor in front of him as the inferno grew to the ceiling. When the blaze finally died down, an eerie wooden door, intricately carved with golden designs stood in front of them, q faint blue light shining through the cracks. Farran felt a buzzing in his pocket, and when he reached in, he realized it was the odd key that came with the original card.

"Wait, that's it?!" Yang blurted, "Just a big thing of fire, then nothing? How are you supposed to get in?"

Farran furrowed his brow, "Through that door, how else?"

"A door?" Ruby looked at her sister, who looked just as perplexed, "What door, Farran? There's nothing there…"

Farran stared at them for a moment before realization came over him, causing him to groan, "You guys can't see the door. Because of course you can't, that would make things too freaking simple. Alright, just… wait here, I guess. I'll go get her."

Farran approached the door, iron key in hand. He slid it into the lock, turning it, and once he heard the lock click, the door slowly swung open. The light flooded through the door, surrounding Farran and blinding him. When his sight finally returned to him, he was no longer standing in the dorm's bathroom, but rather in front of his wrought iron chair in the Velvet Room. Igor sat in his usual place behind the judge's podium, ever present smile carved across his face, his bloodshot eyes peering down at him. Viola, instead of sitting at the witness stand, stood on the ground floor, in front of Igor's podium.

"Welcome to the Velvet Room, my dear guest." Igor greeted, "I take it you had no complications coming here today, then?"

Farran shook his head, "Everything went fine. The others can't see the door though. Didn't realize that would be a thing."

"I do apologize for not mentioning sooner, however that is the case. You see, with few exceptions, only our guests may enter here, and therefore, the entrance to this place will only appear to them. My apologies for the inconvenience."

"It's fine, Igor. Just came as a bit of a shock when they told me they couldn't see it. Actually, if it's alright, I was planning on taking Viola to our world for a bit today."

"Ah, yes. She told me as much after your last visit to the Metaverse. In all honesty, I should be thanking you, my dear guest. It will be very beneficial to young Viola here to learn about your world, first hand. One of my attendants didn't have that opportunity until much later in her life, and it proved a large mistake on my part. Before you leave, however, there is one thing I wish to discuss, if you would please take a seat." Igor motioned to his chair, and Farran did as he was told, "Now, I am of the understanding Viola started to explain Persona fusion, correct?"

"Yea, she did. There was this Persona that I took… If I'm being honest, I'd prefer to be rid of it, if at all possible. Nothing about it seemed normal to either of us."

"The Headless Horseman, yes? From what she told me, it was a harrowing experience for you all, was it not? Well, rest assured, when you next enter the Metaverse, you will be able to create something new from it. I should warn you, just because you fuse it to become another Persona, does not mean you will be forever rid of it. It will still be a piece of yourself. In fact, as it represents the Fool, it represents the bonds with your whole team, as well as the journey you will take. In fact, it is the second Fool Persona you possess, both of which represent a different aspect of your journey."

"I see…" That was not news Farran had hoped to hear, "So, will that be all?"

"For now, yes. We will get more into the how's and the why's when next we meet. However, before you leave, perhaps you might enjoy a sneak peek at what awaits you?" Igor snapped his fingers, causing the fires in Lady Justice's scales to burn brighter. The blaze illuminated the room, allowing Farran to see behind the judge's podium for the first time. Sitting behind Igor were a number of execution and torture devices. Gallows, guillotines, stretching racks, electric chairs… Farran took them all in, feeling his stomach leap to his throat. Igor chuckled, "We ordinarily use the Persona compendium for fusions. However, since Viola is unable to use it, we shall be using a more… archaic method, since it is the only option available to us." Igor snapped his finger, and the fires dimmed, returning the gruesome scene to darkness once more, "Now, you two best be off. I do hope you enjoy your time, Viola. Just please beware of any fountains, for all our sake?"

Viola nodded, approaching Farran with a patient smile. She helped him to his feet, and once he was upright, the light enveloped the both of them once again. Once it had faded, they found themselves back in the bathroom, surrounded by the confused faces of Yang and Ruby. Each opened their mouths a few times, trying to speak, but unable to find the words, as Farran just shrugged at them.

"So…" Viola beamed at them. Beneath the usual politeness in her voice, she tried her best to conceal her excitement, but was far from able to, "I appreciate you three bringing me to your world today. Do you have any plans on what we will be doing?"

Viola's question snapped Ruby out of her confusion, and immediately her exuberance returned as she started bouncing on her heels, "We're going shopping!"

"Shopping?" Viola blinked at the smaller girl.

"Uh-huh! Don't get me wrong Viola, your dress is really pretty. But we're planning on bringing you over here more often, and it sticks out like a sore thumb."

"I-I appreciate it, Ruby. I really do. But I'm required to wear this in the Velvet Room, and it's not like I have any room to store extra clothes."

"You mean besides where you store the guillotines and electric chairs and- Ow!" Farran's snark was cut off by Yang driving her heel into his foot.

"If you can't take it with you, we don't mind keeping it here for you." The blonde offered, "There's plenty of storage space that we don't really use, and I'm sure I could come up with a few boxes to keep it all hidden."

Viola looked from Ruby to Yang and finally to Farran, who shrugged, "Don't look at me, it was all their idea. Not that I have a problem doing this, even if it means me being the pack mule for you three for a day. And before you try using money as an excuse, the Lien from the Metaverse is mine to use how I please. If this'll make you happy, that's how I want to use it."

"Oh, no. Money isn't an issue, because..." She held out her hand, a bright light shining on her palm, which soon produced a coin purse that looked full to bursting, "One of the perks of the job, now that we've recovered from the… fountain incident. I just really appreciate it. You all don't need to go to such lengths for my sake."

"Course we do. You're our friend, and you're a member of our Metaverse team. We take care of our own."

"I… Thank you. All of you. Oh, before we go." Viola closed her eyes and took a deep breath. After a few seconds, her hair started to shimmer, and slowly started to change color. A light brown spread from the tips, all the way up. Once the change was finished, she opened her eyes, which were now hazel. She spun around with a flourish, "So, what do you think? Do I look less conspicuous now?"

The trio stared at her for a second before Ruby spoke up, "Oh, I get it. That's one of your mirages, right?"

"It is! It doesn't really change the color of my hair, because if someone were to pull on it, my real hair would appear outside the brown, but it certainly can make for some good disguises. Now, shall we be off?"

With that, the group left the dorms, and headed to the airship docks, and from there, descended to the city of Vale. Farran found the day long and exhausting, as the girls dragged him all across the city, stopping into every clothing store they lay eyes on. They didn't stop until Viola had an entire new wardrobe ready for whenever she would be joining them in their world. Farran did most of the heavy lifting with carrying it around, more so because he volunteered himself to do it than anything else. Even so, he watched the other three as they moved from place to place, and they all seemed to be enjoying themselves, Viola especially, which made the bags seem that much lighter. Once he thought they were done, Yang directed them to the nearest men's clothing store they could find, threatening to burn all of Farran's shirts if he didn't pick out some that weren't grey.

After a few hours, the sun started setting over the horizon, and the group ducked into a small café, looking for a place to rest and eat before they returned home. Yang grabbed them a booth in a secluded area of the café, where they could talk without being overheard. She had Ruby and Farran sit on one side, while dragging Viola off to the bathrooms with one of her bags. After a while, the two finally returned, and the sight of Viola knocked the wind out of Farran. In her usual dress, Viola looked as if she had just wandered out of a fairy tale. Now, dressed in a tight-fitting, white t-shirt, dark skinny jeans that tucked into knee-high boots, and a blue hoodie that hung loosely around her shoulders, she almost seemed like a different person. Yang pulled the blushing girl down into the booth with her, her lips curled in a bright smile.

"Sooo? What do you think?" She gestured like a game show host at Viola, who squirmed awkwardly in her seat.

Farran could see stars sparkling in Ruby's eyes as she took her in, "Wow. You look so pretty, Viola! I almost didn't recognize you!"

Yang cracked her knuckles, "I know. I surprise even myself sometimes. Not that I needed much help to make her look good, but it's almost a complete 180 in my opinion."

"Yea, don't pull a muscle patting yourself on the back, Yang." Farran muttered under his breath.

"While I appreciate all your help," Viola's cheeks lit up, "You didn't need to force yourself in. I'm perfectly capable of dressing myself without supervision."

"Yang!" Ruby shot her a glare.

"Hey, don't give them any wrong ideas! I just wanted to make sure we had the best possible outfit for today, so I was a little more hands-on." She paused, then shot Viola a wink, "Although, you should've warned me you were going commando under that dress, V."

"Wait, what?!" Ruby and Farran blurted out in unison.

"W-W-What?! N-No, that's n-not at a-all what-" Viola's stammering caused Yang to burst out laughing, "You're the one giving them wrong ideas! Needless to say, I was, and always have been, dressed like a perfectly normal,  _modest_  person, thank you very much!"

A waitress stopped by shortly after, forcing Yang to stifle her laughter, and the rest to calm down. Within a few minutes, they had their orders in hand, and Viola's face had returned to its normal, pale shade. They sat, contentedly eating their meals in silence, until Ruby finally spoke up.

"So… How long exactly is always for you, Viola?" She tilted her head, "From what we know, you've always been in the Velvet Room, right? Do you even know how old you are?"

"That's… hard to say, actually." Viola absentmindedly stirred sugar into her tea, "You know that time does not exist in the Velvet Room, right? Since we exist outside of your world, there's no way to know the passage of time, in order to determine anything like age."

"So…" Yang wiped the whipped cream from her iced coffee off her top lip, "You don't even know how long you've been in there?"

She shook her head, "I have no idea. I know compared to the other Velvet Room attendants I've met, I'm still relatively young. See, my earliest memory is waking up on the floor of the Velvet Room, and learning my purpose from my Master. From there, I received my training from Elizabeth and Margaret. They were so kind to me, even going so far as to come back from their own missions to train me, and treating me like I was their sister, despite them saying we weren't related. After my training finished, it wasn't long until I first met you, Farran. That's why my Master informed me about your use of sarcasm, because it was a concept completely foreign to me."

Farran nodded, thinking back on their first meeting. She had seemed rather quiet that night, it would make sense if everything was still new to her, "You know, I'm curious about something. All that equipment for fusions, that wasn't always there, was it?"

"No, that was something we had to prepare during the time between your first and second visits to the Metaverse. They haven't been used for quite some time, so we needed to bring them in for you."

"I really hope Igor didn't have you moving all of that yourself." Farran took a sip of his Atlesian soda to prevent himself from laughing at the idea of the rather petite Viola trying to push a heavy guillotine into position on her own.

Her lips curled into a wry smile, "No, thankfully my Master asked Nameless and Theodore to help out with that. They're also attendants, although Theo hasn't had a guest of his own yet."

Ruby set down the hot chocolate she had been nursing, "You know, I'm curious. When we're in battle, you're able to tell us information about the Shadows, even though you're all the way across the room. How is that even possible?"

"Oh, that? It's very simple." She brought her mug of tea to her lips, taking an extremely long drink. Farran opened his mouth to question her further, but the voice that left it wasn't his, "You see, I may not look it, but I'm a very proficient ventriloquist."

Farran clapped a hand over his mouth, causing Yang to roar with laughter, "Wow, Farran. She really put words in your mouth, didn't she?"

"Don't. Please, just don't do that again." He hung his head, "That's so freaking weird, I don't even know where to begin."

"You know, you're a riot V. We're gonna have to bring you over to our side more often!" Yang clapped her on the back, "Maybe you can even stay in our dorm room some nights, once we get Blake and Ice Queen in on our little project."

Viola paused for a minute, "…I don't know about that, but would you really all be ok with me coming over here more?"

"Of course!" Ruby bounced in her seat, "I had a lot of fun today, and you looked like you were enjoying yourself too. Why wouldn't we want to hang out with you more?"

"I… You're right. Thank you." Viola took another sip of tea when her eyes went wide, "Oh, I almost forgot. I hate to turn this conversation back to work, but we'll need to go back in at least one more time before we can deal with the Palace ruler."

"Why's that? Don't we just gotta go in, kick his butt, and everything will be ok?"

She shook her head, "Unfortunately, no. First, we'll need to find a clear route to the center of the Palace. You see, in order to even attack the Palace ruler, you must first change his cognition a bit on your side. You see, he believes himself untouchable in your world, and therefore he will be in the palace. That boy's Shadow you defeated, Farran, he would have been the same way, except by attacking him in your world, you broke down the illusion of invincibility that he had, and thus were able to defeat his Shadow."

Yang leaned forward, resting her head in her hand, "But if even Ozpin can't touch the guy, how are we supposed to do it?"

There was a beat before Farran slapped his hand on the table, "His cameras! Part of the reason he thinks nobody can touch him is cause he can just delete or change the security footage to fit what he wants, right? If we can take out those cameras, I think we can do it!"

The others nodded, as Viola continued, "I'll leave that to you, then. Whenever you change his cognition on this side, his Shadow will retreat into the center of his Palace, which is why we need a route there. We go in, defeat his Shadow, and his heart will change."

Yang looked up at Farran and Ruby, "Next Friday… One week from today. Does that work for you guys?"

Everyone agreed, planning on meeting up in the alleyway on campus in a week. Shortly after, they finished their meals, paid, and departed back for Beacon. Ruby and Yang ran ahead to check if Weiss or Blake had returned, and when they gave the all clear, Farran and Viola rushed to the room. The sisters started to make the preparations to hide Viola's new clothes, while Farran escorted her to the bathroom so he could take her back to the Velvet Room. Once inside, she spun on her heels and smiled.

"I can get back from here. And I have to change back into my dress, anyway." She lifted up the bag she held, "Could you send in Ruby or Yang to take care of this one too?"

"Of course. I really hope you had fun today, Viola. I'm glad we got the chance to hang out."

"As am I, Farran. This is honestly the most fun I've ever had. Ruby and Yang… Your teammates are so kind. Thank you for inviting me out today. I'm looking forward to next time. You know…" She brought a finger to her chin, staring at the ceiling, "I can't really explain it… But hanging out with you all today had a nostalgic feeling to it. I don't know why. But I did really enjoy myself. In any case, I should get changed before your other teammates return. Take care, Farran."

The two said their goodbyes, and Farran turned and left. After a few minutes, he knocked on the bathroom door, and when he got no answer, he opened it to find it empty, save for the bag of clothes she had been wearing. Farran smiled sadly at the sight, wishing he didn't have to send her back. Nonetheless, he picked up her bag and took it to Ruby and Yang, and in doing so, felt that familiar surge in his heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter taught me that I know absolutely nothing about guitars, nor women's clothes. Only reason I know about the Stratocaster is a friend from high school was a big Jimi Hendrix fanatic.
> 
> Anyway, hope you guys enjoyed, and I hope to see you in the next chapter!
> 
> Inferno :D


	10. Chapter 10

**W-W-What?! H-He's N-Not My B-B-Boyfriend!**

Saturday afternoon, Farran found himself traversing through the various hallways of Beacon Academy's dorms, eyes glued to the directions on his scroll. He had never had reason to check out the part of the dorms occupied by second year students, but that morning, Velvet had sent him a message, asking him to come over for a bit. Apparently, it had been the first time since their last conversation that she had managed to make some free time for herself, given she had to deal with homework and studying for second year classes, as well as some first year classes she had been required to take, with her own team's training piled on top of it all. Farran couldn't help but grin at the message from the timid Faunus. Had he been in her situation, one of his teammates would have had to scrape him off the dorm room floor in order for him to do anything, let alone willingly invite a new friend over. After hanging one more right, he found the hallway Velvet had described, the dorm room of Team CFVY a few doors down with a placard labeled 221 hanging right next to it. He took a deep breath, then raised his hand and sharply knocked.

When the door finally swung open, it wasn't Velvet who opened it, but another, rather fashionable girl instead. This girl was dressed in a cocoa-brown shirt, and dark brown trousers, her hair short brown hair rested under a beret, save for a strand the color of caramel, which dipped in front of a pair of aviator sunglasses. The girl stood eye to eye with Farran, his face reflected in her sunglasses, until she slid them down a bit with a cocky grin.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I completely forgot I ordered a boy toy. Why don't you come in and get comfortable." Farran's confused look drew a small chuckle from her, "Seriously kid, you lost? This is the second year dorm, and I haven't seen you before in my life.

"Oh, sorry." Farran rubbed the back of his neck, "Is this Team CFVY's dorm room? I'm Farran Park, Velvet asked me to come here."

The girl grinned mischievously, turning her head back into the room, "Hey Velvet! I didn't know you had a boyfriend. You should've told me, he's a cutie for sure!"

Farran heard Velvet's accented stammering come from behind her, "W-What?! C-Coco, I don't have a b-boyfriend! Who's at the-" He saw Velvet come into view, a slight blush on her face, that vanished once she realized he was there, "Oh, hey Farran. Coco! I told you he was coming over. Why do you have to tease me like that?"

She laughed, "I know, Velv. I'm sorry, but you're just so damn cute when you're flustered!" She turned back to Farran, "My name's Coco Adel, leader of Team CFVY. Sorry for teasing you, but you'll get used to it the more you're around me. Come on in, hun!"

Coco moved out of the doorway, allowing Farran inside. Team CFVY'S dorm room looked exactly like Team RWBY's, if a bit bigger and a lot less personalized. One major difference was the door across from the bathroom was currently hanging open, allowing Farran to see that they used it as a walk-in closet, rather than the storage room his team used it as. Once inside, Farran realized that there was one more person inside he hadn't seen. A dark-skinned boy sat on one of the beds to his right, wearing an orange vest and dark jeans. He ran a hand through his copper hair as he gave a sheepish grin, his pure white eyes looking in Farran's general direction.

"Sorry about her. Coco just doesn't play well with people she doesn't know. Or anyone, for that matter."

"Hey, I resent that!" Coco pouted, "I do so play nice, and you know it Fox!"

"Insinuating the kid is a male prostitute the second you lay eyes on him isn't exactly what I call 'playing nice'. And I can guarantee that Yatsu wouldn't think so either." He turned listlessly back towards Farran, "By the way, name's Fox Alistair. And just so we can get this out of the way now, yes I'm blind. Just got pretty good echolocation. Which means, yes Coco. I can tell you're going to throw a pillow at me."

Farran looked at Coco, who sure enough had a pillow in hand, ready to throw. She shrugged and set it back down. He turned back to Fox, "Sorry, I didn't want to ask and be rude about it. How'd you know I was planning to, anyway?"

Fox let out a short bark of laughter, "No offense taken, man. People just usually ask when they see my eyes. As for you specifically, you got a bit of an easy tell. Your heart skipped a beat when you looked over at me, kinda like you wanted to say something, but didn't so you wouldn't piss me off. Don't worry, I know you mean well.

"Anyway, come in, come in!" Coco grabbed him by the shoulders, steering him to the bed Velvet was sitting on, "Have a seat, get comfortable. Yatsu should be back with refreshments soon, the big lug. Something about his family always being hospitable to guests. Coco was stopped by the sound of the doorknob rattling, "Damnit Yatsu! This is why I told you to let me or Fox help."

She stormed over to the door and threw it open. No longer impeded by the door, Farran was awestruck by the sight of a mountain of a man entering, ducking slightly to keep his head from hitting the doorframe. Said mountain was dressed in a green short sleeved gi, and brown pants. Despite his massive stature, his face looked quite young, even more exemplified by the apologetic look he gave to Coco. The man mountain approached Farran, carrying a tray with a number of steaming bamboo cups. Once he got within arm's reach of Farran, he extended the tray to him.

"Yatsuhashi Daichi." He said simply, his voice a low rumble, "Can I interest you in some tea?"

"Farran Park." Farran nervously took one of the cups, "Uh… Thank you."

"You don't have to be so nervous, Yatsu." Velvet gave him a warm smile as she took a cup as well, "Farran's the one who stood up for me the other day. He's really nice."

Farran took a sip of his tea as he watched Yatsu take the remaining cups to his other teammates. He never had been a big fan of tea the few times Weiss had gotten him to try it, but with even just a sip, a torrent of flavor exploded in his mouth, leaving him feel relaxed. He hadn't even realized his shoulders had been tensed up until he took a second sip, and instantly he felt them loosen. Farran let out a contented sigh as Yatsu finished passing out the drinks and took his own seat.

Velvet giggled softly, "That's Yatsu for you. His family has been growing tea in the Hudu Mountains of Mistral for generations. Apparently, that bamboo is a special kind that only grows around the area, and it really brings out the flavor."

"He only uses the best!" Coco beamed, "Not that I can blame him after you saved our precious Honey Bunny the other day."

"C-Coco, you said you wouldn't call me that in front of anyone…" Velvet reached up, grabbing her ears, and using them to cover her blushing face. Farran nearly melted at the sight.

"Hey, I wouldn't really say I saved her or anything." Farran took a nervous sip of tea, "I just did what anyone would do, you know?"

"What anyone would do?" Coco crossed one leg over the other, resting her chin on her hand, "And yet, nobody did. Except you. Nobody besides us had the balls to step up to that little shit until you came around." She took a deep breath, calming herself, "And now, not only has he stopped antagonizing Velvet, he's actually apologized to her and completely cut himself from that Flaming Dickbag. So nice work, whatever it was you did. But tell me, why the interest in our little Velvet, hm? I'll have you know, none of us are too fond of anyone trying to feed her any unwanted carrots, if you catch my drift."

Velvet nearly gagged on her tea, "C-C-Coco!"

"Will you behave?" Yatsu and Fox groaned dryly in unison.

"If by that, you mean you think I helped her out, on my first day here no less, just to get in her pants? Sorry, but that isn't the way I operate." Farran took another sip of tea, "I know I don't really have a way to prove it, but I can tell you this. When I first stood up for her, I had no idea if I would ever see her again. Only reason I did is cause Velvet came into the same study room I was using. And I'll admit, I didn't know about Richards at the time. But I would have done it anyway, cause screw that asshole and everything he stands for." There was a small muttering of approval as Coco, Yatsu, and Fox raised their glasses.

Coco thought for a minute, "Alright, hun. I trust you." She turned to Velvet with a bright smile, "Velv, Honey Bun, you know that little project we were going to work on?"

"Project?" Velvet tilted her head, one of her ears cocked to the side. After a few seconds, both ears straightened stiff, as her eyes flew wide open, "Coco, you want him? I-I mean, I don't have a problem with it, but I hardly know him and-"

"Oh, nonsense. After all, you did say I could choose who I wanted next to me, right? Well, since you won't do it, I want him. It helps that he's a total cutie, and I can already picture a wardrobe for him that'll match perfectly with mine. Not as well as yours would've, mind."

Farran looked between the two of them, "I'm sorry, what exactly am I doing that I still haven't agreed to do yet?"

"Oh, it's very simple. You see, our little Velvet here is a world class photographer, no matter how much she wants to deny it. I fancy myself a talented model and fashionista, and we had been planning on doing a number of shoots. Some of them are going to need a second model, and she said I was allowed to pick, so I chose you."

"N-N-Not that you  _have_  to do it or anything, Farran." Velvet stammered.

Farran furrowed his brow, "And just what exactly makes me your top choice besides Velvet?"

"All the second years know how crazy she is, so none of them will do it, and we don't exactly know anyone else from your year." Fox snickered.

Coco launched a pillow at Fox, which he effortlessly dodged, "Smartass. Anyway, what do you say, Farran? You in?"

Farran looked at Velvet, her face wracked with indecision, then shrugged, "Sure, why not? Just let me know whenever you guys plan on doing this."

"Great!" Coco beamed as she downed the last of her tea and leapt from her seat. She bounded over to Yatsu and Fox grabbing them by the arm and dragging them to the door, "Well, I got what I needed from this, so the three of us will give you three some privacy. Don't do anything I wouldn't do! And remember, always wear protection~"

Velvet's blush renewed as the two male members growled at Coco as she pulled them outside the room, "W-Wait, C-Coco, I told you it isn't like that! I honestly just met him twice, and that isn't enough time for… Wait, that's beside the point. Farran and I aren't together! He isn't-" Her protests were cut off by Coco slamming the door behind her, "my boyfriend…" She let out a small whimper as she fell backwards, lying flat on the bed.

Farran gave her a half-amused look, "…So they seem like a fun group."

Velvet covered her face with her ears again, "They're great. I love Coco to death, but she loves to embarrass me, and she knows all the right buttons to push to do it."

"Well, at the very least, I'm glad we got the chance to hang out again. I'd been hoping to hear from you since last time."

Her lips curled into a sheepish grin, "I'm sorry. Things have just been so hectic since then. Not only did we have that mission, I've had pretty much double homework since I've been back thanks to everything I missed, and Coco has an insane workout plan. She's been dragging me to the gym pretty much every day."

"Hey, don't worry about it. If I had your schedule, you'd never see me again. If all the work didn't get me to outright quit, I'd probably curl up and die in the middle of class. So, how was your mission anyway? You were pretty nervous about it before you left."

"I wish I could say it went better than it did." She frowned, "I was hardly able to do anything for the most part. Coco, Yatsu, Fox… Not only did they do most of the work, but they all made sure to look out for me, even when we were fighting! It honestly felt like I was getting in the way at points, cause they would come back to protect me, make sure I was ok, and I'd be too afraid of hitting them to do much of anything."

"I'm sorry to hear that. What exactly were you guys doing, anyways? Another Grimm attack?"

She nodded, "Something along those lines. There was a Beowolf pack that moved into a cave near a village near the bottom tip of Vale. Apparently, they had been picking off travelers and traders as they made their way in and out. The village was in a huge state of disarray without any reliable trade, but their village council refused to do anything about it until they raised enough money to pay us. Guess they were too proud to ask for a team of Hunters to do it for free… Anyway, we land, and they directed us over to the cave, which was huge! Seriously Farran, it was less like a cave, and more like a system of natural tunnels. We start navigating through, and every so often, the tunnels would open up into a big chamber that were swarmed with Beowolves. It was… disconcerting, to say the least, cause every time we would clear one out, we'd find things that were left behind by their victims. Bags, belongings, you name it, all covered in blood… From what we could tell, this had been going on for at least a year, not the two months the council claimed. Now, about a halfway through the caves, you won't believe this. We actually found someone! There was this girl, an otter Faunus a few years younger than us, that we found passed out in an outcropping in the caves."

Farran drew in a sharp breath, "She was alive? How the hell did she survive getting drug that far into a Beowulf den?"

"We're not really sure. Apparently she had gone with her father when he was heading to the next town to sell their crops when the Beowolves attacked their cart. Her dad managed to get away, but she didn't… They just kept dragging her further and further into the caves. She ended up messed up pretty bad, her leg was broken in a few places, and she had fractured her collarbone, not to mention a number of other cuts and bruises, but she had managed to get away and pull herself into that crevice. She'd been hiding out in there for three days… We patched up her wounds the best we could, and Coco told me to get her back to the village. We had cleared out all the Beowolves up to that point, so there wasn't any danger for me to go by myself. Not to mention, they had Professor Oobleck, and I was just in the way anyways, so it was all for the best. I got out of there as fast as I could, and the town doctor took care of her from there. We found out later that the only reason the village council sent the request when they did was because the girl's father threatened to burn down the town hall if they didn't, and he had a pretty sizeable mob with him… So yeah, that was the end of it for me. Coco and the others finished clearing out the caves, and were back a few hours after me."

Farran leaned back against the wall next to Velvet's bed, smiling to himself, "And here I was believing you when you said you didn't do anything. You even said they did most of the work."

"W-What do you mean?" She sat up suddenly, "I didn't do much of anything. Weren't you listening? Coco, Yatsu, and Fox… They're the ones who cleared out the cave, not me…"

"Oh, I was listening, and that's how I know you're giving yourself far too little credit." He prodded her in the ribs, "Velvet, you seriously carried a dying girl back to her village, on your own! Who knows how much longer she would have survived if it wasn't for you? You're a freaking hero!"

"Well, I wouldn't go that far…" She muttered, her face starting to flush.

"I sure as hell would! And I can guarantee that girl would say the same. You saved her life, Velvet. That's something to be proud of. Hell, in all honesty, what you did, even if you want to downplay it, is far more impressive than anything I've done in my life."

Velvet let out a small laugh, "I'd have to argue on that last one. You're the one who stood up to Cardin for me, and got him to apologize, remember?" Farran opened his mouth to speak, but she cut him off, "I know you're going to try and argue that it wasn't as important or whatever, but if we're being subjective about this, it was just as important to me."

Farran leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees, "Fair enough. How've you been doing lately? Cardin's been leaving you alone, but what about Richards? Yang told me about what happened in the locker room the other day…"

"Yea… I haven't even seen Cardin since he apologized, but Richards... He's made it very clear that he blames me for him cutting ties. I guess he tried starting a rumor that I've been seducing Cardin, as if I'd ever be the slightest bit attracted to him after everything he's done." Velvet clenched her fists, and Farran saw her knuckles turn white, "Ever since then, he's been doubling down on me, and all the other Faunus at Beacon as well. Those girls who threw my clothes in the pool the other day, they've been getting bolder by the day. I can't help but think Richards has been telling them to torment me…" She shook her head, "Anyways, I don't want to talk about all that depressing stuff. I'm finally caught up on my classwork, so I want to just relax and enjoy myself this weekend. Besides, I haven't talked with you for a bit, and I was way too gloomy last time. I don't want you thinking I see you as my counselor or anything like that. So, how've things been on your end, luv? How's school been going?"

Farran and Velvet sat there talking for the next couple hours, just making small talk about school and life. Farran talked about most of what he'd been up to since they last met, anything that wasn't Metaverse related. Velvet proved sympathetic when he talked about just how bad Pyrrha beat him in class the other day, doing what she could to console him, even if he wasn't nearly as bent out of shape as he had been. When he talked about his misadventures with Ruby and Weiss, trying to bake cookies, he had to wait a good five minutes before continuing on, as both were laughing far too hard to breathe normally. As it turned out, from what Velvet had heard, Weiss's concerts in Atlas were apparently a sight to behold, even if her performances were never widely publicized, and hearing Farran got a private performance made her jealous. Afternoon turned to early evening, which in turn became late evening, when the two finally decided to call it a day. Farran and Velvet said their goodbyes, and he made his way out of the room, feeling his heart surge. With a slight groan, Farran did his best to navigate through the second year dorms, trying to find his way back to his team.

* * *

**I Can't Get You To Hang Out!**

Blake sighed as she stepped out from the bathroom, having changed into her robe after showering. The brisk air coming from the window felt nice as it brushed past her freshly steamed form, cooling her as she made her way to her bed. Pyrrha had invited her running earlier, one of Blake's preferred methods of passing the time. The redhead had been insatiable, pushing her far past her usual stopping point, until both nearly collapsed on wobbly legs. Upon her return, she found the dorm room to be completely. A quick text to Weiss would reveal that she planned on studying in the library for most of the afternoon, while Farran and Yang had decided to partake in a combat practice club, which Professor Port had decided to form to give the first years a chance to get extra practice for the Vytal Tournament next semester. Ruby, ever supportive of the two of them and absolute geek for weapons that she is, had opted to watch from the stands and cheer them on. Since her team had other plans, Blake decided to partake in her other favorite pastime while they were gone.

Reaching to the side of her bed, she pulled out a rather heavy book, wrapped in the dust cover for "The Man with Two Souls". Of course, the contents of the book were far less innocent than the cover. After the incident earlier in the semester, in which Ruby had discovered her copy of "Ninjas of Love", Blake had taken to covering her romance novels with the covers of other books in an attempt to prevent the wandering eyes of her teammates. It didn't help that Yang constantly used the aforementioned incident as blackmail to get Blake to hang out, citing that she had attempted to "steal the innocence of her baby sister."

Blake shook her head, flipping to the dog eared page where she had left off, trying to get her mind off of Yang. Her teammates were all out, and there was no reason for any to return so soon, so she had this perfect moment to relax. She stretched herself out on her bed, feeling her spine crack, as she got lost in the story of Sylvia, a girl who dressed as a man to become a knight in training, and her mission to rescue Princess Olympia. She lay there, silently flipping through the pages, reading as Olympia invited Sylvia into her tent to escape the storm raging outside.  _Oh, Princess… How bold of you. I know you figured out her secret when you saw her bathing in the Plava River, but this…_  Blake's breath hitched as she absentmindedly reached a hand down to the sash around her waist. With trembling fingers, she pulled at her sash, when the door was thrown open, crashing into the wall with a loud slam. Startled, Blake tossed her book to the side, where it slid into its usual resting place in the gap between her bed and the wall.

She barely had a chance to react any more than that when a blur of red and black sped up to the side of her bed. She turned her head to see the glimmering eyes of Ruby, who knelt next to her bed, beaming at her, "Hey Blake! Sorry for freaking you out. What were you reading?"

Blake opened her mouth a few times to speak, but in the end she just sighed, "Ruby, I thought you were watching Farran and Yang. What are you doing here?"

"Oh, that? It ended a little bit ago. They should be in the changing rooms now." She popped open her scroll, "As for me, I heard about something while sitting in the stands, and I just had to get back here and show you! Just a second and… Here."

Ruby handed her scroll to Blake. She read a few lines, but had to do a double take, because what she was reading could not possibly be real, "Howling at the Moon got a movie? And it's releasing today?! How did I not know about this?"

"I dunno." The sniper shrugged, "I just found out about it today, and remembered you freaking out about the book when you were reading it. You wanna go see it? Plus I heard there's this awesome café by the movie theater that's just filled with books. We could stop by there afterwards!"

Blake blinked at the small girl, "Are you serious? I mean, I'm not saying no, but this movie… that café… Neither really strike me as the type of thing you'd be into. You sure you want to go?"

"Uh-huh!" Ruby's smile widened, "I know it's not what I'd usually do, but it won't hurt to give it a try, right?"

Blake wanted to argue, knowing Ruby would probably be bored to tears through the whole film, but in the end, she couldn't help but smile, "Sure, Ruby. Just give me a chance to change and we'll get going."

* * *

Farran sat on one of the benches near the airship docks, grimacing as he rubbed the back of his neck. His competitive matches had gone extremely well, earning a victory in both, but Yang had wanted a practice match with him once they were both done. Farran had agreed, thinking she would take it easy after a few grueling matches of her own, one in particular where she and Nora had each other on the ropes, but "taking it easy" didn't exist in Yang's vocabulary. He didn't know where the hell that girl had learned to suplex people, but he sincerely hoped that wasn't what she meant when she said she wanted to learn grapples. That being said, he had to commend her form, her bridge was picture perfect.

An airship had just docked and began unloading passengers when Ruby and Blake came into view. He gave them a wave as they got closer, motioning for them to join him while they waited for the airship to be clear for boarding. Ruby took up her seat immediately next to him, continuing the crusade she and Yang had been waging against the personal space of their teammates, while Blake sat slightly further down the bench.

"For the record," Farran nudged the Ruby with his elbow, "I'm still not entirely sure why you're dragging me along for this whole escapade."

Blake shot him a look filled with confusion and amusement, "Wait, you're coming with us? You do realize we're going to see a chick flick, right?"

Farran tried to respond, but Ruby answered for him, "Yep! Farran still owes me for not inviting me when he took Weiss out for burgers."

"Which is something I still don't understand." Farran pinched the bridge of his nose, "How exactly do I owe you for not inviting you to something while you were busy hanging out with other people?"

"Because I said so as the leader of Team RWBY!" She beamed up at him, "Besides, isn't it good to hang out with your teammates?  _Forging bonds_  and all that?"

Taking her obvious hint, Farran opted to just wave it off and accept he wasn't getting out of this. At the very least, the theater his teammates frequent was said to have had very comfortable seats, which he figured having them along with something cold to drink and some air conditioning would do wonders for his aches and fatigue. Within twenty minutes, the trio arrived at the theater, and got in line to get their tickets. With soft drinks and snacks in hand, they made their way through the absolutely packed lobby to the theater where their movie was showing, only to find it completely empty. Farran followed Blake and Ruby to the back row where they grabbed their seats, fully expecting the crowd from the lobby to come flooding in, and yet once the previews finished playing, not a single person besides them entered the theater.

"What's with this?" Farran whispered to Ruby, "With all those people out there, you'd figure at least  _someone_  other than us would be here."

"Oh, that?" She quickly showed him a peek of her scroll while she was setting it to silent, "The Swift and The Seething 27 came out today too. A lot of people were excited for it. Yang probably would be here for it too, but she's still mad about the ending of the last one."

"And we're watching this instead because… why exactly?"

"Because I said so, now just be quiet and watch! It's not gonna kill you, and it's not like this is my choice either."

The movie opened with a girl moving to idyllic and boring town from the city. The directors had evidently tried to make the color scheme of the movie as grey and dull as possible, and between that and the movie's plot moving at a snail's pace, the dialogue lacking any sort of emotion that wasn't straight up boredom, and the drizzle of rain that seemed to never let up from the setting, Farran felt his eyelids grow heavy. Within minutes, during the protagonist's diatribe about the movie's female lead being out of his reach, he drifted off to sleep. When he finally woke up, he could have sworn it was an entirely different movie, if only for the fact that the main characters and the small town seemed to be the same. The protagonist and female lead sprinted through the small town as the sound of gunfire rang out around them. The once grey and bleary town had been set ablaze, the streets littered with bombed out cars and burning bits of wood. Before the main characters could finally make it out of town, their path was cut off by a platoon of Faunus holding rifles, and the scene faded to black. The credits rolled, and Farran sat there, stunned at the complete 180 the tone of the movie underwent. Completely unperturbed by his confusion, Ruby and Blake gathered up their things and made their way to the exit.

Farran followed close behind the two of them as they made their way to the café Ruby had talked about going to. Ruby evidently loved the movie, as she talked about it near constantly as they walked, but he was surprised to see Blake, who had acted much like Ruby was whenever she recounted the book to anyone who asked about it, remained completely silent. A few blocks later, and they stood outside a tiny café on the corner, the musty smell of old books billowing through the doorway. Farran and Blake took their seats at a secluded table near a bookshelf while Ruby ran to the counter to grab their orders. Now that he could see her face, Farran noticed that Blake was staring at the table in front of her, wide eyed and with a small frown.

"Hey, Blake." Farran waved a hand in front of her face, "You ok? Don't go turning into a zombie on us now, ok?"

"Oh… Right…" She muttered bitterly, "Sorry, Farran. I'm ok."

"Yea, sure you are. That's why you've been dead on your feet since the movie ended. Come on, we're teammates, aren't we? I'm not asking you to tell me anything too personal, but if something's bugging you, you can trust me. Gods know I'd trust any of you." Farran heard her mutter something incomprehensible, but he could've sworn it was something like "You shouldn't". He tilted his head curiously, "Ok, so if I can't trust you, who exactly can I trust? I mean, Professor Ozpin told me-"

"I know what Ozpin said about teams, Farran." She grumbled, "You're seriously not gonna let this go, are you?"

Farran shot her a smug grin, "Me letting things go when my teammates are obviously dealing with something? Try asking Weiss how that goes. But really, if you don't want to give me the whole picture, that's fine. Just… talk to me, ok?"

She looked like she wanted to argue, but returned his grin, "But how exactly can I talk about it with you? It's about the movie, and if I recall correctly, a certain someone slept through most of it."

"I just got through combat practice and Yang dropping me on my head. I don't know how the hell the movie got to that ending, but I think I'm entitled to falling asleep when the beginning was that boring." Farran deadpanned.

She frowned, "Well, that's honestly what's bugging me, and why I didn't like the movie. In the book, the two main characters get separated when an unnamed human terrorist group attacks the town, that's the part you saw. For whatever reason, they decided to replace that group with the White Fang, and they're just… not a good topic for me to think about. Sorry, but I really don't feel up to saying more than that."

"Hey, no worries. I just hope you know you can talk to me and Ruby anytime if you ever need to. You don't have to go it alone." He watched as Blake nodded with a sad smile, "Well, since talking's out at the moment, why don't we take your mind off the movie. I haven't really read for fun since I woke up, but I've been thinking of giving it a try. Since you're our expert in that department, why don't you pick me out something?"

"A book? As in anything? Wow, put me on the spot here." She turned and observed the shelves, "Let's see… I'm not gonna be cruel and give you a romance novel. You seem like you'd be more of an action or adventure fan, honestly." Her amber eyes flicked towards him nervously, "Maybe a manga…?"

"A manga? I've never heard of those."

She gasped overdramatically, "You haven't? They're the greatest form of literature from Mistral! Hold on, I'll be right back." Farran watched as she zipped around the café with Ruby-esque speed, grabbing book after book from the shelves. When she finally made it back, her arms were full with a stack almost as tall as she was, which she plopped on the table next to him, "This is your required reading, Farran. There's some classics and some new ones, but I can guarantee you'll love all of them!"

Farran took in the mountain of books in front of him, "Uh, Blake? Not that I don't appreciate it, but I'm not gonna be able to read all of these before we leave."

"Don't worry about it, we can take them with us!" Ruby set their drinks down with a smile, "The owner said we can borrow them, so long as we bring them back. I plan on coming back here a lot, cause they have my favorite kind of hot cocoa here! I've looked all over Vale, but this is the only place that has it."

Blake took her seat, grabbing her tea from the tray Ruby had set down, "Thank you, Ruby. You know, it's not like I'm broke. You didn't need to pay for my drink."

"Psh, don't worry about it. I'm just glad we could all have a chance to hang out." Ruby sat down, happily sipping her hot cocoa.

"Riiight. Inviting me out to a movie you never would have gone to see otherwise, paying for my ticket and food at the theater, bringing me to a café you never would have tried, and paying for my drink there as well. So, what's really going on, Ruby? This is completely unlike you. I know you didn't like the movie as much as you're acting like you did."

She froze, "I-I-I don't know what you're talking about, Blake! I'm acting super normal. Yup, completely normal, that's me… Ruby 'Normal' Rose…"

Farran poked her in the ribs, "I think the jig is up, Ruby."

Ruby let out a little whine under their collective gazes, "Sorry, Blake. I just didn't know what else to do! A leader should spend equal time trying to get to know all of their teammates… That's what my mom used to do, even if my dad was weird, my Uncle Qrow was emo, and Yang's mom was… different. I just wanted to find something, cause you and I never hang out! I hang out with Weiss, Yang and Farran all the time, Farran and Yang have been hanging out, and they've even been hanging out with Weiss too! Out of all of us, you're the only one who doesn't go out and do stuff, and if you do, it's either to go for a run, or you hang out with Yang when she really forces you to. I didn't know how else to get you to want to do something with me, so I did what I could to find stuff you'd be interested in…"

"Ruby…" Blake chuckled sadly, "You didn't have to go through all this. I'm sorry I've been so introverted. I know I don't go out and do a lot, but I hope you guys don't think I don't like you. It's just hard for me to get along with new people, and I'm trying to get better, but it's at my own pace. Still, I can't say I didn't have fun, so maybe it would be for the best if I got out of my comfort zone every once in a while. So, what I guess I'm trying to say is thank you both. Even if you decided to take a nap during the movie, Farran."

"Yea, what's with that?" Ruby pouted, "I had to sit through that whole thing, even though the end wasn't bad, but ten minutes in, and you're sleeping!"

Farran buried his face in his hands, "You can blame your sister for trying to kill me."

The three shared a laugh, and all calmed down to enjoy their drinks. Ruby and Blake broke out in small talk, while Farran decided to try and make a dent in the "homework" Blake had assigned him. He slipped a book from the top of the pile, and, after realizing they were supposed to be read backwards compared to what he was used to, started to dig in. He had to admit that from what he got to read, he enjoyed the story, even if the premise of a bunch of teenagers making a time machine by microwaving a banana was a bit odd. The three of them became so absorbed in what they were doing, that none of them realized how much time had passed until Blake took a sip of her tea, which had long since turned lukewarm. A look outside confirmed that the early evening had long ago become night. Their drinks paid for, the owner gave them a bag to carry Farran's books, as the three left to head back to the dorm. When they made it back the third floor, Farran tapped Ruby on the shoulder, letting Blake go on ahead.

"Hey, hold on a sec." Farran pulled Ruby aside, "I know it's not much, but I just want to say how awesome it is that you'd do all that just to get Blake to spend more time with us."

"Well, it was no big deal…" Ruby twiddled her thumbs, "I'd honestly thought about just bugging her until she agreed to do something with me, but I figured it wouldn't accomplish anything."

"Probably not. But really, I do gotta say that you're becoming a better leader by the day, more so than you actually realize. I'd still argue that you don't need my help for it, but I'm more than happy to help you, every step along the way."

"Awww!" Ruby threw her arms around him in a friendly hug, "Thanks Farran. I appreciate it, but you've been helping me even more than you think. Really, if it weren't for you, I never would have faced my Shadow, and then where would I be?" She stretched back with a yawn, "No, I don't know about you, but some of us didn't have the chance to take a nap, so we really should be getting back, right?"

Farran nodded, and the two finished their trek back to their dorm room. Their arrival was met by Yang already animatedly recounting her matches to Weiss. Farran collapsed on his futon, the last memory he had before he lost consciousness was a pleasant smile from Ruby, and the feeling of a surge in his heart.

* * *

**He Loves Me… He Loves Me Not…**

Heart pounding. Breathing heavy. Sweat sliding from his brow. Farran stood in the middle of an arena in the training halls, blade drawn and ready. His opponent stood about fifteen feet away from him, barely holding on to his own sword in his shaking hands. Farran had to give props to Jaune, while he still didn't match the combat prowess of Yang or Cardin, he'd come leaps and bounds even from the first time he had seen Jaune fight nearly two weeks ago. His sword skills were lacking, and yet he had a blistering fast reaction time, forcing Farran to dig in deep and work hard for any sort of clean hit. The two had been clashing on and off for the better part of the past hour, and fatigue had set in hard for both.

"Come on!" Jaune waved his shield-covered hand towards Farran, "One more round, man. Just one more… I can't give up yet."

Farran groaned, "Jaune, I love your heart, but seriously man… You look like you're gonna drop dead any second. And if you don't, I will. If not from fatigue, then from Professor Peach slitting my throat for pushing my knee too hard." A chill ran down his spine as he remembered the conversation with said professor when trying to gain access to the training halls, who made it very clear the only reason she was playing nice was due to Goodwitch's orders. She also went into elaborate detail about what would happen if he pushed any of his injuries on her watch again. "Let's just call it a day, yea?"

"What? No way! I can keep fighting, just watch…" He took a few steps forward, only for his wobbly legs to give out under him, "Ok, maybe not. Little help here?"

With a laugh, Farran pulled Jaune to his feet, and the two headed for the locker room, "Gotta say, you get better every time I see you fight. Wouldn't be surprised if you caught up to me in… maybe ten years?"

"Oh, Ha-ha. But you're right, I do feel like I'm getting better. Everything seems to be slowing down for me in combat." He stretched and muttered, "Mostly cause I have a good teacher…" Jaune glanced at the scabbard on Farran's hip, "I'm curious, man. That sword of yours, how come you never named it?"

"Named it?" He drew the sword in question, giving it a once over.

"Yea, like mine is Crocea Mors. Ruby's weapon is Crescent Rose, Nora has Magnhild, Ren has StormFlower… Everyone names their weapons, but you never refer to it as anything. How come?"

"I just never really thought about it. A name, huh…?" Farran took a long look at the tempered steel of the blade, and without even thinking much about it, a name came from the back of his mind, "Silverbreak. That's its name."

"Silver… break?" Jaune paused for a minute, "You know, I like it. I probably would've gone with something like Fellwing or something like that, but that's cool too."

"The difference is, Jaune, that I don't got my face shoved in comic books non-stop."

Jaune gave him a playful shove, and the two made their way back to shower and change. Cleaned and refreshed, Farran made his way back to his locker to change, only to find a surprise waiting for him. When he opened his locker door, a small white card fell from the crack, flitting to the ground. One side was completely blank, while the other held a small note written in neat handwriting, which said "Meet me in the forest behind the school. There is something very urgent I must discuss with you. – Pyrrha". Farran flipped the note over several times, trying to make sense of it. If it was urgent, couldn't she have come talked to him, or texted him, or hell even told Jaune? He looked back towards the showers. He would normally just ask Jaune himself, but he was notorious for taking long showers. With a shrug, Farran changed into his usual attire and left.

The forest behind Beacon was one of the least used spots on campus, and in general, students avoided going there without purpose. While it was protected by the walls that encircled the academy, forests in general brought memories of Beowolves, Ursas, and many other types of Grimm to most Huntsmen in training, keeping them on edge whenever they entered. Most rationalized their avoidance by claiming anything that could be done there, could just as easily be done in the Gardens, which were more tranquil and closer to the dorms anyways. Still, Farran pressed on, ignoring his surroundings, as curiosity continued to get the better of him. He looked over the note for the hundredth time, as Pyrrha had never said how far in she would be waiting. Just as he considered turning back, he came across a tree in the middle of the path, splitting it in two directions. He moved to go around it, only for a figure to come curving around the tree, right for him.

Before Farran could do anything, he felt a pair of arms wrap around him, pulling him forward. The feeling of a warm body pressed against his, as he something soft press against his lips. When his senses finally kicked back in, he realized that someone was kissing him, their face mere inches from his, a strand of their usually immaculate red hair falling in front of their closed eyes. Farran didn't know what on Remnant he was supposed to do once he realized Pyrrha Nikos had pulled him in for a deep kiss.

When she finally broke it off, she giggled, her eyes still closed, "Oh, Jaune… I've dreamt of this moment for a while now, but in my heart, I knew that-"

"Uh… Sorry?" The words just fell from Farran's mouth, his brain completely numb, "I think you got the wrong guy, Pyrrha…"

Slowly, as if her entire world was crashing around her, she opened her eyes and looked up. Once she saw Farran's face, she leapt back, her face turning the same shade as her hair, "F-F-Farran?! What are you doing here?! Jaune… He…"

"Well, I came here cause I got this note from you. Found it in my locker." He handed the card over to her, "You did write that… Didn't you?"

"I did… But why was it in your locker?! I specifically told Ren to put it into Jaune's locker… Number 150, I told him that exactly…"

"Ah. See, that's the problem. I'm locker 150, Jaune's is 151."

"Just one off…" She crumpled the card and threw it deep into the woods with a cry of despair. She leaned against the tree, and slid down, hugging her knees to her chest when she finally sat down, "Why?! This was supposed to be perfect! Why can I not just get some luck with him…?"

Farran took a seat not too far from her, "So… I can understand if you're rightfully pissed at me right now, but would you mind if I asked what your deal is with Jaune? What exactly is up with the blond Boy Wonder?"

"I'm not mad at you, Farran. None of this is your fault. I… I  _love_ Jaune." She held up a hand, "Before you say anything, I know. Nora has told me a million times. Anyone who spends more than five minutes with us can tell I have feelings for him. The only exception, of course, being the man himself. He's just… Just a dense, vapid, obtuse, dim-witted, thickheaded… kind, handsome, funny, endearing, all-around wonderful fool of a man. I am the champion of Mistral, Farran. I've had people calling me names like 'The Invincible Girl' for as long as I can remember. I'm destined to become a Huntress and do great things. People came from all over trying to get to know me, but they didn't care about Pyrrha Nikos. They cared about 'The Invincible Girl'. Once people start to put you up on a pedestal, everyone sees you as out of reach, and it's lonely sitting there… But Jaune… He doesn't care about any of that. When we first met, he had no idea who I was. He had no idea I was champion, that people thought I was invincible. He had no idea I was the girl on the cover of that atrocious cereal he adores so much! For the first time in my life, I had made a friend who saw me as Pyrrha Nikos, and that was it. How was I not supposed to fall for him?"

"Wow, you really have it bad, don't you?" Farran had to force himself not to laugh at her complete shift in tone, "But, why go through all this trouble? Why not just tell him to his face."

Pyrrha rubbed the back of her neck, embarrassed, "I've tried that before. Every time I think about telling him, I freeze up. That's partially why I had Ren and Nora handle the card. Once they had it, it was out of my hands, and all I could do at that point is follow through."

"And this was the best idea you could come up with? Inviting him to the middle of the woods and just planting one on him?"

"Well… Yang has been encouraging me to be more forward with him for some time now, since none of my hints seem to be getting through. So I decided to ask Blake for one of her romance novels for an idea on what I should do, and it just seemed like the perfect scene!"

Farran buried his face in his hands, "I'm gonna kill them. I'm actually going to kill my teammates…. Wait, hold on. Even if you went through with all this, how were you planning on making sure the guy you kissed was Jaune? You just ran up to me with your eyes closed!"

"I don't suppose you'd accept I was just trusting the power of true love?" She laughed lamely, "Honestly, I was waiting behind that tree for quite a while. On top of my nerves getting to me after waiting… a snake slithered on top of my foot. I'm not particularly fond of them, and I had to close my eyes and pretend it wasn't there, otherwise I would have ran out of here screaming, and everything would be ruined…"

He raised an eyebrow, "You're telling me that Pyrrha Nikos, Champion of Mistral and top of her class, is afraid of a little snake? Didn't you guys say Ren fought a King Taijitu during the initiation?"

"That's different! A King Taijitu is a Grimm, but snakes are just tiny and wriggling and…" She shivered, "In any case, just because I'm a Champion doesn't mean I'm not a normal person with normal phobias."

"I know, I know. Just like Jaune, it's hard for me to see you as anything but just Pyrrha." Farran laughed, "Honestly, it kinda blows me away to hear you're a Champion, I honestly had no idea. Kinda glad I didn't, cause otherwise I might have acted like everyone else…"

"I find that hard to believe, you know. After all, Atlas Academy made a great push to get me to attend there. They even had my picture on the billboard outside their dorms the whole week they had me there. Surely you must have seen it?"

 _Shit!_  "Oh, no sorry. I… really wasn't the type that paid attention to that stuff. Kinda just kept my head down and went on my way, you know?"

Pyrrha chuckled, "That's alright. After all, there was no billboard, and I never did go to Atlas. I told them up front I wasn't interested in attending." She shot him a sly grin, "But then again, you never went to Atlas either, did you?"

"What are you talking about? Of course I went to-"

"Farran, please. I hope you didn't think I wouldn't take notice. There are things you don't know that any self-respecting student at Atlas would. Or from any Academy, for that matter. No matter how much you claim you don't watch the news, the incidents around Remnant are big enough that you should have heard." She put a hand on his shoulder, "Your secret is safe with me. Just tell me, who are you really?"

Farran knew she had him beat. With no real way out, he just took a deep breath to steel himself, "Honestly? I've got no clue. About a month ago, someone apparently tossed me off the top of an apartment building on Park Street. No idea who or why, all I know is when I woke up, I had no memories of anything. Ozpin came to visit me that day, and offered me a spot here because apparently, whoever it was that tried to kill me also went through the trouble of erasing any sign that I'd ever existed."

Pyrrha's lips curled into a frown, "So, you are a man with no name, identity, no home, and no family… I'm sorry to hear that."

"Well, only that last one's true. If you ask me, my name is Farran Park, my identity is that I'm a Huntsman in training, and my home is here at Beacon. That just isn't what you wanted to know, now was it?" Farran stretched his arms, "So now you know. Just don't go telling anyone, yea? At best, I'll get a lot of unwanted attention. At worst…"

"Well… I think I can be persuaded to keep quiet about it. On one condition of course…"

"And that would be?" Farran groaned, "I really don't think there's anything I can do about your crush on Jaune."

"No, not that! But it does have to do with Jaune. You see, I've been helping give him extra combat practice after class, and he's been coming along really well."

He nodded, "Noticed that today, actually. His reaction speed is way faster than when I first showed up. I take it that's your doing?"

"That it is." She gave him a warm smile, "I don't like bragging about my combat prowess, but with as fast as my strikes are, he has had no choice but to improve if he wanted any chance to block them. But that is part of the problem. I want to make sure he is actually improving, not just getting better at reading my movements. For that, I need someone else to join our training sessions."

He folded his arms, "So you're blackmailing me into doing something you know full well I would agree to do anyway? Come on, Pyrrha. You could have just asked."

"Well, I didn't want it presume it was something you would help with… So I can expect your help? Should Jaune agree to it, of course. He doesn't exactly want other people to know about our arrangement, and it was hard enough to get him to agree to my help."

"Yea, of course! Just send me a message after you talk to him, let me know what the plan is." Farran scrambled back to his feet, offering Pyrrha a hand, "Now, how about we put the rest of this escapade behind us, and head back for home before anyone starts speculating about me and you, yea?"

"Yes, I believe that's a good idea."

Farran pulled her to her feet, and the two made their way back to the dorms, making small talk all the way back. Pyrrha told Farran about her home and family back in Mistral, and her experience in the tournaments growing up. Apparently, her father had been a Huntsman for years before injuries caught up with him, and he always took her around to watch the tournaments until she was old enough to participate. Once she was allowed to fight, she devoted almost all of her time to training, which was partially why she refused to participate in the tournament practice club Farran had joined. After being a part of that lifestyle for so long, she had become sick of everything to do with it. She said she'd be participating in the Vytal Tournament, but only because her teammates planned on entering. When they finally made it back, they said their goodbyes as they entered their respective dorm rooms, as Farran heard that familiar voice in his mind once more.

"I am thou, thou art I…

Thou hast acquired a new vow.

It shall become a Beacon in the darkness

To lead you down the path to your own justice.

With the birth of the Lovers Persona,

You have obtained unforeseen power

That will allow you to remake your Fate anew."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey Guys!
> 
> I hope this chapter wasn't too heavy on fluff for you. I promise there'll be a bigger dose of plot in the next one, and from there (for those of you who haven't been keeping score), it's the final stretch to the deadline for Richards's Palace! Just something to look forward to.
> 
> I know I might get some comments about how I said the Vytal Festival is next semester, despite it being spring, and well… I kinda goofed when I was planning out my timeline, and didn't realize that they had a hard timeframe set for V1-V3, so canonical things from RWBY will be happening, but not necessarily during the same season they were supposed to happen in-show. Some, I have reasoning for, others you can just blame me for being a dumbass. I'm sorry if that throws some of you off!
> 
> One final thing, I'm obviously not Australian, but I know a number of you guys are. For those of you from down under, does the way I write Velvet's dialog sound ok? I don't want to make her stereotypical Australian, but since Caiti is Australian, I'm not sure if there's anything more I could or should be doing for that. Just let me know your thoughts, I'd love to hear from you!
> 
> Anyway, hope you guys enjoyed, and I hope to see you in the next chapter!
> 
> Inferno :D


	11. Caught in the Blast

It should have been a normal Tuesday. When Ruby's alarm woke him up that morning, he rolled over to grab his scroll so he could check the Metaverse app, confirming that there was still about 197 hours left until the deadline. He knew there wouldn't be any sort of significant change, save for the timer ticking down like normal, but he figured it didn't hurt to check. It wasn't often that all five members of Team RWBY had managed on to get ready for class with enough time to grab breakfast beforehand, but it was always a pleasant surprise when it did happen. In fact, not only was Team RWBY on time, but Team JNPR, who ordinarily had to drag Jaune and Nora from their beds for them to get moving, met them in the courtyard on the way to the dining hall. The two groups made their usual banter as they moved through campus, grabbed their breakfasts, and took their places at their usual table. As far as Farran was concerned, this should have been a textbook, normal day at Beacon Academy. Yet, at Beacon, having a normal day on the scale of your average person was like winning the lottery, and Farran never had that kind of luck.

The dining hall was rocked by the sound of the scrolls of the several hundred students in the dining hall all blaring together simultaneously. Slowly, the cacophony began to die down, as their owners hurriedly dug through their pockets, slamming down the volume buttons to silence the noise. Farran flipped his scroll open to find the commotion had been caused by a message that had been sent by the Academy's Emergency Announcement System which read:

"ATTN ALL STUDENTS: All classes and school activities have been cancelled until further notice. All first & second years, please calmly return to your dormitories immediately, and wait for further instructions. All third and fourth year students, as well as all essential faculty, please report to the amphitheater ASAP. – Prof. Ozpin"

As soon as Farran finished the message, the previous racket caused by the message became replaced by a soft murmur of hushed, worried whispers. All around him the dining hall's occupants stood up, their breakfasts all but forgotten, and started moving towards their newly ordered destinations. Farran looked around at the others at the table, each mirroring his confusion.

"So…" Yang broke their silence, "What exactly do we do now?"

Weiss clicked her tongue, "What do you think? We go back to the dorms. It's a direct order from Professor Ozpin, after all…"

"Well, no shit! That's not what I meant. Whatever's going on has to be pretty big, right? Shutting down all of Beacon… Getting all the upperclassmen together… This isn't normal."

Pyrrha folded her arms, "As far as I am aware, nothing like this has ever happened at Beacon. Cancelling all classes is a rarity among the Academies as it is, but all this… It's completely unheard of."

"If that's the case, I think we should head to the common room by our rooms." Jaune shrugged, "If this is so big, whatever's going on has to be on the news."

Ruby nodded, "I agree. I know they won't ask for us unless it's a worst case scenario, but even still, we should keep ourselves in the loop, just in case."

With a murmur of approval, the members of Teams RWBY and JNPR stood and followed the queue of people out of the dining hall. Evidently, they weren't the only group to have that idea, as every single lounge and common area they passed seemed to be swarmed with students, all huddled around scrolls and television screens. The common room Jaune had proposed they use sat at the very end of their hall, and was relatively unused by any other students besides their two teams, mostly due to its size, which is why it surprised none of them that it remained empty when they arrived. Still, the room provided enough accommodation for the nine of them after some rearranging. Farran was forced to have one of his teammates on his lap, which ended up being Weiss after she lost a quick game of rock-paper-scissors, much to her chagrin. Once they all got settled in, Jaune switched the television on and thumbed through the channels until he reached VNN. Lisa Lavender, in her usual, trademark attire, appeared on screen, next to a small feed of what looked like a burning mansion. The ticker running across the bottom of the screen read. "Councilman Assassinated. Bombing At Unhilo Manor".

"…To repeat, we have just received word that the body of Councilman Morado Unhilo has been discovered on the grounds of his manor in Vale." Lavender's calm, professional voice rang through the speakers, "As we have been reporting, at five this morning, an explosive was detonated inside the manor, destroying a good portion of it, and otherwise setting the rest of the building alight. The rest of Councilman Unhilo's family have been confirmed to be safe and unharmed, however the Councilman himself had remained missing until just a few moments ago. There are reports that the Vale City Police are on the trail of a suspect, but they are as of yet unconfirmed. All citizens of the City of Vale are being asked to remain indoors until further notice…"

"Ok, stupid question." Farran whispered into Weiss's ear, "Vale is a Kingdom, right? So… What's with the Council? Shouldn't there be a king or something?"

She sighed, but whispered back, "Are you seriously telling me you don't know, Farran?"

"Memory loss, ok? I'm doing what I can here, but we haven't gone over that in class, and Goodwitch must have thought it too basic to include in the books she left me. Just… humor me, alright."

"Fine… Essentially, yes. The Kingdoms do still have Kings and Queens, but they have become mostly figureheads after the Great War. Instead, the Kingdoms are ruled by Councils, which are made up of representatives elected from all major areas of the Kingdom. Councilman Unhilo was the representative of the City of Vale. The Council members are very important, as they possess direct control over the policies of the areas in which they were elected, as well as having a vote on all national policies that are controlled by the Council. Understood?"

"Got it. Thanks Weiss. Sorry, I know it's gotta be annoying dealing with me. It's not exactly enjoyable bugging you guys for this information either."

She gave him a smile, "Don't worry Farran. I know it isn't your fault. I'm just still not that used to-"

"…Ladies and Gentlemen, I have just received word, we can now confirm that Vale City Police have a suspect in the bombing of Unhilo Manor in custody." A picture of a middle-aged man appeared next to Lisa Lavender on the screen, "The suspect, Oren Datrini, age 54, was arrested about an hour ago by Vale City Police as he was leaving his place of residence, where upon he confessed to the crime. It is believed that Mr. Datrini, an immigrant muskrat Faunus from Menagerie, worked under the employ of Councilman Unhilo at his estate. Upon his arrest, officers also found a number of stolen crates of high-quality dust, as well as equipment commonly used to make explosives. In addition, a large amount of White Fang paraphernalia was found around his residence. Whether Mr. Datrini was working for the White Fang, or simply worked alone while sympathizing with their ideals is unclear at this time. With the pilot of the Schnee Dust Company ship that crashed two weeks ago having recently been confirmed to be a White Fang collaborator, it would certainly seem members of this radicalized Faunus movement are on the move. Chief of Police Irving Spencer will be holding a press conference later this afternoon to discus…"

"Well, I suppose that answers our questions." Ren leaned forward, "Such an attack will surely cause a lot of fear, and therefore Grimm attacks. Professor Ozpin probably plans on dispatching the upperclassmen to the surrounding areas to prevent most of the damage."

"So… What happens now?" Nora twiddled her thumbs, "A member of the Council being killed… Are they going to have an election or something?"

Weiss nodded, "I would imagine so. Sadly, a member of the Atlesian Council passed away after a long battle with leukemia years ago. I was still young then, but I remember the coverage of the resulting election. If I remember correctly, it was said that, due to the importance of the Council, in the result the death of one of the members, an emergency election will be held no more than two months after. Not a lot of time, but I suppose it's better than all of Vale's political policies being placed on hold until a proper election can be held."

"Yeah. Gods know you got people campaigning to be elected all the way between normal elections. We even had some fop campaigning in Patch the night Councilman Unhilo was elected. Can't remember who exactly it was, but I think their family runs a big quarry outside of Vale." Yang crossed her arms, "I dunno, this all just sucks. With all these accidents and shit going on, the last thing we need is the White Fang adding to it all."

There was a rustling next to Farran when Blake, who had been sitting in a chair to his left, suddenly stood up, causing all discussion to cease. Farran hadn't noticed it before, but as she stood stiff as a board, her eyes had the same empty, distant look they had a few days before when they left the movie theater. Before Farran had a chance to question her, Blake spun on her heels and bolted from the room, slamming the door behind her as she left. The rest of the group looked amongst themselves, each as confused as the person next to them.

"…Is Blake going to be ok?" Jaune asked tentatively, "I don't think I've ever seen her look like that."

Farran let out a deep sigh, "The White Fang apparently isn't a good topic for her. She didn't really explain why, but she had a similar look after we watched a movie where they appeared, destroying a town. No clue why they get that kind of a reaction from her, though…"

"It doesn't surprise me in the slightest." Weiss huffed, "The White Fang are a group of barbaric, inhuman terrorists! Many people have been affected by their violence. I wouldn't be surprised if the poor girl saw one of their horrific acts if that's how she acts when they're brought up."

"In any case, I'm gonna go talk to her. Gotta make sure she's ok." Weiss slid off Farran's lap, allowing him to get up, "You guys text me if anything else important happens, ok?"

With that, Farran ran out of the common room, desperate to find Blake. The hallway remained abandoned, as the rest of the dorms were most likely still sitting around watching the coverage of the assassination. His first instinct was to immediately head for the dorm room, rushing there and throwing open the door. Blake lay on her bed, flat on her stomach, hands clasped on top of her head. Farran grabbed a chair from a nearby desk, pulling it up next to her bed and plopping down in it. Blake barely even turned her head towards him, staring blankly in his general direction.

"So, I doubt you're much in the mood to talk about it now, are you?" He gave her a gentle smile.

"What do you think?" Blake muttered, "Go back to the common room, Farran. Just… don't worry about me."

"Cause that's totally gonna work, Blake. On either of us." A voice called from the door. Farran turned to see Yang leaning in the doorway, "You really think you can just book it out of the room, and not get all of us worried? That's not how things work." Unlike Farran, she dropped onto Blake's bed, planting herself right next to her, "So, how about you go ahead and talk to us. Even if it's not about all that stuff, just  _something_. Cause neither of us are leaving until we get you to smile."

Flipping on her back, Blake's lips curled into a frown, "Like what, exactly? Sorry, but I'm really not interested in talking."

"Fine. Then Farran and I will talk, and you can jump in whenever you feel like." She turned with an expectant look towards Farran, "So? What exactly can we talk about that mopey here would be interested in?"

Farran paused for a minute, "Well… I finished the first part of that manga you recommended the other day. It was really good."

"Manga? What's that, Farran?"

"I guess they're these comics… Sorry, 'graphic novels', don't want Jaune kicking the door in, from Mistral. When we went to the movies with Ruby the other day, we stopped at this café that had a ton of 'em, and Blake grabbed some for me to try out." Farran over and fished out the book in question, bringing it back to his seat, "Like this one. It's about these kids our age that make a time machine by microwaving a banana."

Yang had been looking at the cover when Farran said that and nearly dropped it, "Wait, seriously?! That's kinda… different."

"No, Farran. Just…" Blake scoffed, taking the book from Yang, "Are you sure you actually read it? They didn't make the time machine 'by microwaving a banana', they made it while they were experimenting on the microwave. They only figured out it was a time machine when they did microwave it."

"…And how exactly is that different than what I just said?" Farran deadpanned.

"Because that's not at all what it's about! They only microwaved the banana because…" Blake launched into a long-winded diatribe about the plot of the book, going into intricate detail about minor points that Farran hadn't noticed, and probably wouldn't have had she not brought them up. All the while, Yang sat there, smirking at Farran, as he started sinking into his chair more and more as Blake continued to get ever increasingly heated, "...And if you had actually bothered to pay attention, you would have actually noticed!"

At her conclusion, Yang started to slow clap, "Well now, good work, Hero! You actually made that seem effortless."

Farran stared at Yang, "What do you mean? Hero? Do you mean me?"

"Yea, Yang. He didn't do anything! He certainly didn't pay attention to the story…" Blake furrowed her brow.

"Of course I mean you, Farran. After all, this isn't your first time running off trying to be someone's hero, so it totally fits. I'd call you 'Angel', cause you're almost like our guardian angel, and your wings, but that's more of a pet name for couples." Yang waggled her eyebrows as Farran groaned at his new, very unwanted nickname, "And to answer you, Blake, Hero here did plenty. Not only did he get you to completely forget about being depressed, but he also got you to show a completely new side of yourself that I've never seen before, all just by getting the plot of that book wrong."

When Blake realized what Yang said was completely true, she froze, color rising in her cheeks. She leapt at Yang, smacking her on the shoulder repeatedly with the book, "Why couldn't you two just leave me alone?! Annoying me doesn't count as making me feel better!"

"Complain all you want, Blakey. It's not gonna make us go away, and it's not gonna change the fact that I'm right!" Yang beamed proudly at her perceived victory, "Now stop hitting me! Now that you two dorks have gone on about that story, you actually got me interested. Got any more you recommend, Blake? I might have to check them out."

Blake slowly lowered the book to her lap, "Wait, you're interested? In reading one of these? Seriously?"

"Sure, why not? Although, maybe not that one, considering you just told me the entire story, but if there's any other cool ones, I'll give 'em a try. From the way you talked about it, it sounded more like one of the shows I watch, rather than one of those nerdy comics Jaune reads, or those smutty romance novels of yours."

"They're not… Whatever. Farran, could you grab the rest of them, please? I can't remember if I grabbed it, but if I did, there's one in there that both of you will love." She waited for Farran to do as she asked, then started digging through the pile, "Let's see… I know they had it, so I'm gonna be so mad at myself if I didn't grab it… Where… Oh, here it is!" She handed the book in question to Yang, "It isn't a classic by any means, but it's still one of my favorites. It's about this kid that gets bullied all the time. He starts training at a martial arts dojo, trying to become a master, even though he doesn't have much natural talent. The plot is really good, there's plenty of funny moments, and there's plenty of… fanservice, on both sides, to keep you interested, Yang."

"Oooh, you know just what I like, don't you Blakey? Come on, let's read it together!" She forced her way onto Blake's bed, pulling a confused Blake on top of her. Once she was comfortable, she turned to look expectantly and Farran, "Well, Hero? Won't you be joining us?"

Farran stared at the vacant spot next to the two, "Ok, do you really need to give me a nickname? Last I checked, Farran isn't all that hard to say…"

"Last I checked, I don't give a shit. Your name is Her now." She snickered, "Now hurry up and get up here!"

Farran just shook his head as he acquiesced to Yang's order. The three of them lay there for the next while, carving their way through the first few volumes of the story Blake had picked. Farran had to give her credit, between the first recommendation and this one as well, she knew how to pick out a story. He had been completely captivated from the time they had started, and by the time they reached the fight with the first arc's villain, he was completely invested in seeing the protagonist punch him in the face. Even Yang, who Farran had realized was the type to provide a running commentary about whatever she was reading or watching, went silent when the fight started. Once the fight was over, the protagonist reigning victorious, Blake excused herself to the bathroom, climbing over the two of them to the edge of the bed.

Farran waited for the door to close behind her, when he turned to give Yang a bright smile, "Thanks for the assist, Yang. That went a lot better than I thought it would. Wasn't really expecting backup, but I'm glad you came."

"Well, the three of us didn't want you guys thinking you were the only one who cared about Blake. Weiss is just to blunt with these kinds of things, and Ruby… really isn't ready to be dealing with this yet." She crossed her arms, "It's not like I did much of anything though. We just… talked."

"What do you think I do?! You call me a guardian angel, but it's not like I know what the hell to say to people when I'm forging bonds. I just go with the flow when people are dealing with problems, and most of the time, I just say shit they already know deep down anyways. Not like I'm anything special. Besides, I think you do good as our team mom, Yang."

"Team mom? Right…" She stared at the bottom of her bed, "How can I be a team mom, when I didn't have a real mom growing up? Unless you count Summer, which I usually do, but still… How do I know I'm not gonna just turn out like Raven?"

"Well, a couple of reasons, I would think. First off, you try to do something stupid like she did, we aren't gonna let you. Then there's the fact that you learned from what she did, so I doubt you'd ever do anything like she did to anyone. And, while I've never met her, I have a feeling you're a much better person anyways.

"Farran…" She slugged him on the shoulder, "Don't talk like that! You're gonna make me blush, asshole."

Blake walked out from the bathroom as she finished her sentence, "Well now, the Queen of Flirting herself being reduced to blushing? You're gonna have to tell me your secrets, Farran. Maybe I'll be able to get her to stop flirting with me."

"Oh, you love me and you know it." Yang shot her a wink, "Now get your Bellabooty back here! I wanna see what happens next."

"Call it that again, and I'm kicking you off my bed."

The rest of the day went without much more out of the ordinary happening. It wasn't long after the three of them finished another volume that Ruby and Weiss returned, saying that the only thing of substance from the news was that an election for Councilman Unhilo's replacement would be held on the 30th of May. After that announcement, the news had heavily shifted to coverage of candidates who would be running for the position. Since the announcement of the Councilman's assassination had made the day rather bleak for the whole of both Team RWBY and Team JNPR, and an announcement from Professor Ozpin coming soon after they had all reunited to let everyone know the airships to and from Vale were running again, Yang proposed that she would cook dinner for both teams that night, in order to raise everyone's spirits. Farran and Weiss immediately volunteered to help, and the three left to go grab what they would need from the store. While they were cooking, Farran saw the genuine smile on Yang's face as she went about her duties, and felt their bond strengthen.

* * *

Farran had hoped that the next morning would turn out much better than the previous one, but that hope was almost immediately dashed. Farran sat around in the dorm room talking to Yang and Ruby in the kitchenette, waiting for Weiss and Blake to get ready, when another announcement came to his scroll, this time in the form of a video. Farran flipped open his scroll, opening the message and clicking on the video. It automatically stretched to fill the screen, allowing Farran to see Professor Ozpin, with a smug Richards on one side, and Professor Goodwitch, who looked more vexed than he remembered ever seeing her, on the other. Ozpin cleared his throat and began to speak.

"Students of Beacon Academy, I am sending you this message to regretfully inform you that, in light of the assassination of Councilman Unhilo, we will be forced to cancel all classes for the next week, and will resume on the 24th. While the suspect is indeed in police custody, we have received word that the White Fang might be planning on making more attacks. We will continue having third and fourth year students patrolling the surrounding areas during what would normally be school hours." Ozpin pushed his glasses back up his nose, "Now, Director Richards has a few words on a new policy we will be enacting over the next week, for your security."

_Oh, this is gonna be great…_ Farran glowered at the screen as Professor Ozpin took a step back to allow Richards to waddle to the middle of the shot. He couldn't help but notice Goodwitch slide back as far as she could as he did so, "Now, as Professor Ozpin just said, it's very possible the White Fang will strike again, and after the Councilman, we can never be too careful. As I'm sure you are all aware, there are many of  _their_  kind attending Beacon Academy, and no one can be sure if any of them are involved with the White Fang. Therefore, starting tomorrow, I will be holding random searches in the rooms and lockers of all Faunus students for any White Fang paraphernalia. These searches will be held daily until classes are back in session. Should I find anything, you will be expelled on the spot, and we'll let the police sort you out for supporting that pack of violent animals-"

"Richards!" Goodwitch hissed, "That is quite enough. I will not have you-"

"That is all." Professor Ozpin cut in between the two, "Please be assured we are doing all we can to ensure your safety. Until classes resume next week, please be ever vigilant, and stay safe."

With that, the feed cut off, and the screen went black. Farran immediately looked up to Yang and Ruby, who both wore looks of concern that mirrored his own. "So… what now? If anything, Richards cognition just got a huge buff," he whispered.

"Yea, but not against us." Yang shook her head, grimly, "I hate to say it, but I'm glad I'm not a Faunus right now. Who knows what that douchebag will get up to? Just hope anyone that does have White Fang stuff trashes it, or at least hides it."

"But what about the deadline?" Ruby muttered, "Now that Richards can throw Faunus out whenever he wants, couldn't he just plant something White Fang related in her room?"

Farran clicked over to the Metaverse app, "Nah, no dice there. It's still counting down, same as before."

"Huh… I wonder why that is. Not that I'm complaining, but you would think that would affect things."

Farran pondered for a second, before the realization hit him like a ten ton weight, "…Because everything is going exactly how it's supposed to go."

Yang furrowed her brow, "What are you talking about?"

"Don't you get it? The video talked about how everything that happened to Velvet is  _destined_   _to be that way_! That means all this stuff with the Councilman and Richards, it's all happening in a way that on April 24th, Richards will have been able to plant Diamond Dust in Velvet's locker."

Yang and Ruby stared at him wide eyed. After taking in his meaning, Ruby mouthed, "No matter what we do… Until we stop Richards's Shadow, everything is just going to continue moving towards that."

"Damn…" Yang let out a low whistle, "I guess it's easier to ignore when it isn't directly in your face, isn't it? So… what do we do now?"

Farran contemplated her question for a minute, "I guess… we just stick to the plan. I mean, what else really can we do? If Igor and that video are to believed, there's nothing we can do on this side to stop it. But at the same time, there's nothing Richards can do before the deadline. All we gotta do is take out his Shadow before then, just like we planned, right?"

Ruby nodded, "Right. Us freaking out now isn't going to do anything but make it harder for us to stop him. Still, I want you to check up on Velvet as much as you can starting tomorrow, Farran."

"Huh? I mean, that's no problem, but why?"

"It's like you said, nothing we do is going to stop what happened in that video from happening. But we don't know what happens  _before_  the video. Knowing Richards, who knows what he might try to do, or have someone else do, so she's more cooperative when that all happens." Ruby's lips curled into a frown, "That's why, I'm saying the three of us, and I'll try to get Weiss, Blake, and Team JNPR too, need to keep a close watch on her. It shouldn't be that hard with classes being cancelled until the deadline."

"Yea… You got a good point. Wow, look at you go, Rubes! Being all leader like. Come here, little sis!" Yang smiled devilishly, pulling Ruby into a headlock and giving her a noogie. After much squirming on Ruby's part, Yang finally let her go, "And I don't think it should be too hard to get all of them to help us. All we gotta do is say we overheard that dickbag asking some people to pull some shit with her. I'm sure they'd agree to help." She stretched back and yawned, "I dunno about you two, but if there's no classes for today, I am going back to bed."

The other two agreed, and they returned to the room for some much appreciated extra sleep. Blake had apparently taken their lead before they even arrived, as she was snoozing softly when they entered. Weiss, on the other hand, sat studying at her desk, still in her nightgown, but with her hair pulled back in her usual pristine ponytail. Rather than bother with changing, Farran immediately crumpled onto his futon, still in his uniform. Within seconds, he was dead to the world. He lay there, sleeping soundly until the early afternoon, when his phone started to buzz. He rolled over, his fatigue from that morning finally gone, to find a message from Pyrrha waiting for him.

**P: Hello Farran! I was hoping to talk to Jaune about our arrangement in a bit. Would you be able to meet us up on the roof?**

**F: Sure, I'll be there. But why the roof?**

**P: It's the spot where Jaune and I usually train together at night, so we have taken to meeting up there when we need to talk. I apologize if being on the roof is uncomfortable for you after your history.**

Farran laughed to himself. He hadn't even considered that. Despite having been thrown from a roof to his near death, he didn't feel any kind of nervousness when he was flying, nor when he leapt from the tower.

**F: Hey, don't worry about it. I can fly, remember? Can't think of many birds that are afraid of heights!**

**P: Fair point. Then I shall see you up on the rooftop of the dorms shortly.**

**F: 10-4, see you soon.**

He pulled himself to his feet, noticing for the first time that the rest of the room was empty. His teammates had no doubt left a while ago to attend to their own plans. He hurried to change from his uniform into his casual clothes, and dashed out of the room. He had never been to the dorm's rooftop, even if he wasn't afraid of heights, it certainly wasn't something he considered a must-see destination. Even so, he had learned early on that the stairwell led directly to a doorway out onto the roof. Taking two steps at a time, he made it up to the landing, only to find that the door was propped open. He peeked outside to see Jaune sitting in the middle of the rooftop with his back to the door, and a distraught looking Pyrrha standing behind him, her hands folded together.

"I can't believe you told him Pyrrha…" Jaune sounded absolutely defeated, "I told you not to tell anyone about it. I  _trusted_  you not to tell anyone!"

"Jaune, please!" Pyrrha pleaded, "I told you why we need Farran's help. You've been improving by leaps and bounds lately. I just want to make sure you keep it up. Otherwise, I would have never brought it up to him."

He waved her off, "No, not all that. I mean, I'm not exactly thrilled at the idea of anyone else thinking I'm so pathetic that I need extra practice, but I can get over that after having you help me. What I mean is you had to have told Farran that I faked my transcripts to get in here… How else would you have convinced him to help me?"

"Actually," Farran called from the doorway, causing them both to jump, "She never said a thing about all that. I never would have known if you didn't say anything just now."

Jaune buried his face in his hands, "Great… Just perfect. Well, now you know. So go ahead and laugh at me. Or better yet, go tell one of the staff. Just put me out of my misery."

"Jaune…" Pyrrha visibly deflated.

"Now hold on, man. There's a couple things you need to realize about all this. First off, you have a great girl watching your back, and you need to pay more attention to how she treats you." Farran approached Jaune, flashing Pyrrha a winning smile as he passed her. He plopped down, sitting next to the brooding blond, "Second, you and I have far more in common than you think. I'm not gonna sit here and make fun of you. Nor am I about to go run to the staff."

"Oh yeah?" Jaune grumbled, "You know I overheard Professor Port talking about putting you in the tournament to decide a 'champion' of our combat practice group? You're a great fighter, man. What the hell do we have in common?"

"Well, for starters, my transcripts aren't exactly legit either." Pyrrha tried to stop him, but Farran just shrugged, "It's alright, Pyrrha. I've been thinking about it, and I know I can trust you guys. Besides, I know his thing, so fair is fair."

Jaune just stared at him, "But how can your transcripts be fake? You do really well in our classes, and you're talented in combat… Do you seriously mean you never went to a combat school?"

"I dunno. I might have."

"Ok, now you've seriously lost me."

Farran laughed, "So, do you know where Park Street is in town? With the really fancy apartments?"

Jaune paused for a moment, "Yea, you mean across the street from the one really big park? I haven't been over there much, but I know where it is. Why?"

Farran took a deep breath and recounted his story to Jaune, explaining who he is, and just how he managed to get to Beacon. Jaune, on his part, stayed silent all the way through, although je couldn't quite hide his shock and confusion at times. At some point, Pyrrha sat down with the two of them, her face torn between worry and relief. When Farran finally finished, they sat there in silence for a minute, only the sounds of birds chirping overhead breaking it.

Jaune shook his head, "Wow, that's… really something. Definitely a lot harder to explain than being a transfer student. I'm sorry to hear all that, man."

"Eh, it's alright. That's just life I guess." Farran leaned back, laying down and staring at the blue sky overhead, "But now you know why I don't tell anyone. We really are in the same boat in that regard."

"Yea… There's just one thing that gets me about your story. Retrograde amnesia… My grandfather on my mom's side had it, and it didn't work anything like how yours does. You don't just recall memories out of nowhere like that, they're just… gone."

"Oh well, look at the expert here!" Farran snarked, "I dunno, man! I have no idea why it works like it does, it just does. I cant help that… Anyways, what about you? I take it Ozpin didn't take you in cause somebody pitched you off a roof as well."

"Wha- No! No, nothing like that." Jaune sighed, "For me, it's just I grew up as the middle kid in a group of seven sisters. All the ones older than me are doing great things, and all the ones younger than me are super talented too. But me… I was always just average at everything. Never great at sports, never great in school, no real outstanding talents. It sucked sitting there, watching my sisters do all this awesome stuff, while I almost get forgotten at points."

"I'm sure that's not entirely true, Jaune." Pyrrha cut in with a smile, "I'm sure your parents love you just how you are."

"Well, yeah. That's true. I didn't mean it like that. My parents always were great to all of us. Although, I'm sure all of them are pretty pissed at me by now…" He grimaced, "You see, Crocea Mors is a family heirloom. It belonged to my great-great-grandfather, who was a hero in the Great War. Well, my family wasn't too happy with the idea of me going to a combat school, even though I idolized Huntsmen growing up. The whole idea of being a hero that helps people… That's all I want to do. So, I faked my transcripts and sent them in without my family knowing. Then, the night I left home to come here, I grabbed Crocea Mors and snuck out of the house. I left them a note saying I'd be at one of the Academies, but I didn't specify which one, cause I know they'd just drag me back home if they found me."

"Which is still something I'm not happy about, mind you." Pyrrha clicked her tongue, "Honestly, I still say you should call them. Your family must be worried sick!"

"I know, Pyrrha… I know… Believe me, I've thought about it plenty of times. I just cant. This is my dream! Becoming a Huntsman, leading a team… I still cant believe it's all true. But the second I call them is when it all goes away. There's no way they would believe someone like me is the leader of the team, when we've got Ren and Nora, and especially you. I know I might have been an idiot and not realized who you were, but I can guarantee they will, and they won't believe "little Jaune-y" is the leader of the Champion of Mistral…"

"You sure about that?" Farran raised his eyebrows, "I mean, if they really are as loving and supportive as you say they are, wouldn't they rather you be happy and pursue your dream, rather than just drag you back home? I mean, come on. I may not really have any concept of family to go on, but even I know that they should all be supportive. Course, if Ruby and Yang are anything to go by, you might be screwed on account of you running off."

"Please don't remind me… Gabrielle is gonna kill me…" He hung his head with a shiver, "But I'll keep thinking about it. I know I have to do it eventually, but not right now… Not today…"

"Well, in that case," Farran stood up with a smirk, "How about a match?"

"A match? You mean like right now?"

"Sure, why not? I mean, with classes cancelled, it's not like we have all that much to do today, right? I hardly had did anything yesterday with classes cancelled, so I'm just itching to get some practice in!"

"Alright, sounds good to me." Jaune nodded, "Pyrrha, would you mind being our referee?"

"Of course, Jaune. I would love to."

Within minutes, Farran and Jaune had their weapons and were ready to spar. Pyrrha gave them the signal, and the two were off. Steel clashed with steel on the rooftop for the next while, as Pyrrha ran the two of them through a gauntlet of drills. Farran felt that Jaune did well in his own right, but even so, he could see what Pyrrha meant by him getting too used to fighting her, and his swordplay definitely needed a lot of work. Even so, as the afternoon turned to early evening, and Pyrrha finally called for them to stop, he thought that they had made a good amount of progress for the day. The three decided to break for Farran and Jaune to shower and change before Team JNPR left for dinner. A quick thought came to Farran as he followed Jaune and Pyrrha down the stairs into the dorms.

"Hey guys," He called, getting them to stop, "I hate to end things on a sour note like this, but I got a favor I need to ask."

Jaune looked at him curiously, "A favor? Sure, what's up?"

"So…" He dropped his voice low, "Ruby and I overheard Richards the other day. He was talking to these two second year girls. I guess they room on the same hall as Velvet, and they've been giving her a lot of shit. Anyways, I don't know what he specifically asked them to do, we didn't hear to much of the specifics, but he was asking them to do  _something_  to her while classes are out."

"That's horrible." Pyrrha muttered, "That absolutely abhorrent man is bad enough to her and the other Faunus as it is, and now this. And as if that was not enough, he would use the Councilman's passing as a means to push his agenda, and treat them all as criminals. It's simply unforgivable."

"I know… So, we were planning on making sure somebody is watching out for Velvet for the next week. I know it's a lot to ask but-"

"Of course we'll help." Jaune cut him off, "I owe you one for helping us out anyways, and while I can't really speak for Nora or Ren, I know they don't like Richards either. So you can count us in."

"Exactly. Honestly Farran, I wish you would have told us sooner." Pyrrha beamed at him, "We will talk to Nora and Ren about this over dinner, but rest assured, we will make sure nothing happens to Velvet."

"Thanks guys. Really, you have no idea how much I appreciate it."

Farran stuck his hand out with a grin, and Jaune reached out to shake it. He expected to feel the surge in his heart, strengthening his bond with Pyrrha, but it never came. Instead, as Jaune shook his hand, he felt time freeze around him, and heard the familiar voice in his mind.

"I am thou, thou art I…

Thou hast acquired a new vow.

It shall become a Beacon in the darkness

to lead you down the path to your own justice.

With the birth of the Justice Persona,

You have obtained unforeseen power

that will allow you to remake your Fate anew."

As time started up again, Farran couldn't help but smile at his newly formed bond.  _Justice, huh? That's a good fit for you, Jaune. Just wish I could tell you about it._  He followed the two of them back to their room, where they went their separate ways. The dorm was still empty when Farran entered, leaving him free to use the shower. All the while, and even long after his teammates had returned, he couldn't help but feel a sense of giddiness.  _Lovers, Chariot, Fortune, Justice, Death, Star, and Sun. Not bad for a Fool with no past, huh?_

* * *

Farran had to consciously remind himself every few minutes the next morning, that classes had in fact been cancelled. After having spent half of his new life going through the routine of waking up and preparing for a day of lessons, it proved to be a tough habit to break, certainly not helped by the fact that he found it hard to go back to sleep once his body's biological clock had woken him up. Even after showering in the hopes of calming himself down, he found sleep to be just outside his grasp. He couldn't help but feel keyed up, with Richards's decree from the previous day still playing out in his mind. Farran desperately wanted to rush into the Metaverse today and take down his Shadow, but he knew that was impossible. Not only did they still need to secure a route to the center of his Palace, which was on the agenda for tomorrow, but he still needed a way to change Richards's cognition.

He knew he was on to something with taking out the cameras, and yet that provided its own slew of problems. Taking out each camera individually was impossible. There were far too many, taking them each out one by one would take forever, and it certainly wouldn't take long for Richards to discover what they were doing. There was always his office in the tower, where he the database and controls for all the cameras on campus were located. Yet, how would he even manage to gain access to his office, and without Richards realizing? Flying up was impossible, as the windows the office did were kept shut tight. Beyond that, Richards was always in his office, unless something specifically came to his attention. And even if he found a way inside, when Richards wasn't around, what could he do to the cameras? He figured that simply breaking them wouldn't be good enough. He would need something that would undeniably show that someone had managed to get in and take over, right under his nose. He heard the sounds of Weiss starting to wake up, and gave up on the thought of getting any more sleep.

Farran borrowed the bathroom quickly before Weiss started her usual morning routine, changing into his normal clothes in a hurry, as he decided to go check on Velvet a bit early. He couldn't help but hope that Richards wouldn't go after her so soon, or at the very least that he was the type to do these checks so early in the morning. Having already gone to Team CFVY's room before, he didn't get so hopelessly lost as he had the previous time, but even so, navigating through the second year dorms still proved troublesome. He managed to find his way to the lounge at the end of the hallway from their room, but what he saw there made his heart sink.

Team CFVY sat together in a circle of couches. Yatsu and Fox were in t-shirts and shorts, both with tired, worn glares on their faces. Coco wore a fluffy, luxurious robe, staring at the foot rest in front of her as if she were trying to melt it with her gaze. And Velvet, the sight of her made Farran's head go numb. She sat next to Coco, dressed in naught but a thick, brown towel that was wrapped around her. She was sobbing softly into her hands, her face a fierce scarlet. Farran froze in the doorway for a second, trying to get his brain to start working again, until he was finally able to make his way over to them.

"What happened?" He had to force the words out.

"What do you think?" Coco didn't even look up at him, "Richards happened."

Fox's gaze drifted over in his direction, "He came to our room first thing this morning. He forced us all out of the room, claiming he got some 'anonymous' tip that one of us was connected to the White Fang."

"So… Why…?" Farran motioned at Velvet.

"She has always had a habit of getting up early. Getting ready for classes before any of us." Yatsu sighed, "She was in the shower when Richards came. The man threatened to kick the door in if she didn't come out. He didn't even allow her time to get dressed."

"I… I just want to make sure… I'm not in the way!" Velvet hiccupped, her voice muffled by her hands, "Why… Why won't he just leave me alone?!"

"That bastard…" Farran noticed that he had been clenching his fists, "Once he gets out of there, I'm gonna-"

"You'll do nothing, Mister Park." A calm, cool voice came from the hallway. He turned to see Professor Goodwitch standing there, staring at him with concern, "Believe me, I understand your frustration with this. I'm none too happy about it myself, but there is little I can do to protect you should you try to retaliate." She strode over to Velvet, resting a calming hand on her shoulder, "My apologies for this situation, Miss Scarlatina. However, we will soon be on our way, and I will continue to make sure no one comes through here until you return to your room. Just as I promised. Of course, I wasn't expecting anyone from the first year dorms to make their way here. Would you like me to remove Mister Park?"

"N-No. Farran's fine. Thank you, Professor." Velvet muttered.

"Professor Goodwitch, I know you don't want to gossip about any of the staff…" Farran motioned to Team CFVY, "But can you at least explain what's going on? How all this is allowed to happen under Professor Ozpin's watch."

"There wasn't much choice on Ozpin's part, I'm afraid." She adjusted her glasses, "There isn't much that I can say, but this was all approved under a desire to keep you all safe, in more ways than one... I will say that he fought passing this all he could, but when it was obvious his hand would ne forced, he assigned me to monitor the situation. And you can be damn sure I'm doing my duty to the best of my ability." She cleared her throat, "Pardon my language. I hope you understand that I'm not this forthcoming with information usually, but given the circumstances…"

_Being stuck with that jackass must be driving her mad…_  "Don't worry, Professor. I don't blame you. But why isn't Professor Ozpin the one overseeing things?"

"As it were, Mister Park…" Richards came waddling through the door, a sneer on his face, "Jolly Old Ozpin isn't here at the moment. The Council has been in disarray since Morado kicked the bucket, so they called him in while classes aren't in session. Which is unfortunate for you, since there's nobody to bail you out if you get into trouble while he's gone, now is there?"

Goodwitch stepped in front of Farran before he could react, "I take it this means you're done with your inspection, Mister Richards? And these students may return to their room?"

"That's  _Director_  Richards, Glynda." Richards growled, "And not quite. I've finished inspecting Team CFVY's room, and while there was no large scale White Fang paraphernalia, I did find this." He stretched out his hand, letting something dangle from his pudgy fingers. It was a simple necklace, a thin, black thread with a silver pendant in the shape of a wolf's head connected to it.

Velvet jolted from her seat at the sight of it, "That's…!"

"The head of a Beowolf. Otherwise known as the mark of the White Fang." Richards tutted, "You know, Miss Scarlatina… I honestly have no idea how Ozpin was so high on you that he'd fast track you a year. And yet here you are, repaying his kindness by associating yourself with that group of savage beasts. I suppose that is to be expected…" He grabbed Velvet by the wrist, "The rest of you are to return to your rooms at once. Miss Scarlatina, I will be escorting you to the proper authorities. Meanwhile, you can be sure that when Professor Ozpin returns, you will be properly expelled for-"

"H-Hey, hold on!" Coco scrambled to her feet, and put herself between Velvet and Richards, "That necklace isn't Velvet's! It's mine! I bought it from one of the stores in town, and it isn't a Beowolf. It's from a fairy tale I read as a kid!"

"Oh, really? A likely story. I apologize Miss Adel, I truly do, but I don't buy it. This is clearly the mark of the White Fang, and it is clear to me that Miss Scarlatina here has been consorting with terrorists!"

"Man, let her go!" Farran tried to move, but found himself once again cut off by Goodwitch.

"Now see here, Mis… Director Richards." She glared down at him, "If there is any doubt as to the ownership or the origins of this necklace, then we can hardly drag anyone off to the police.  _I_ am Professor Ozpin's second in command, and  _I_ was left in charge as Deputy Headmaster in his stead. In that case, I am accepting Miss Adel's story as the truth. Now unhand Miss Scarlatina at once!"

Richards did as she said with a sigh, "Glynda, you are far too trusting. We can not be too careful with these terrorists running around. And Miss Scarlatina is hardly the most trustworthy. After all, Mister Winchester was a fine young man before she got ahold of him. Now, whether she threatened or seduced him, I cannot say, but the boy has strayed from the straight and narrow and-"

"Oh, come off it, you piece of shit!" Farran bellowed, "How dare you talk about Velvet like that? She had nothing to do with Cardin! Did you ever bother to take a second to think that Cardin just got sick of you pulling his strings?!"

Farran took a few steps towards Richards, but stopped when he felt something soft press against him. He looked down to see Velvet desperately trying to push him back, "F-Farran, p-p-please… D-Don't get involved! P-Please!"

Richards cackled, "Yes, listen to the little Beast and know your place, Park! What do you know about anything, anyways?! I'm surprised that brain of yours still works after you were tossed from a roof?" Farran's shocked expression drew out some more deep laughs from Richards, "What, did you really think I didn't know? Did you truly think I bought for a second that trash like you came from Atlas? No, you're just a pathetic nobody."

Farran's mind went white as he stormed around Velvet. He managed to get within a foot of Richards when he was grabbed by the rest of Team CFVY, as he stood there snarling at the man, "Yea, I almost died in that alley. Yea, I'm not from Atlas. But you know what I do know? I know you're a piece of shit, Richards. I know you've been getting students to sell Diamond Dust for you on campus. I know you've been harassing the Faunus cause you're a racist asshole. And most importantly, I know that if I ever get ahold of you, I'm breaking your Gods damned face, you son of a bitch."

"Is that so? I've had students selling drugs? I've been harassing students? Well then, Park. Prove it. Oh, but you can't, can you? No, of course you can't. Nobody can. I own Beacon Academy. I own Ozpin. I own all the students here. And you better believe, I own you, Park." Richards swung his leg, kicking Farran right in the bad knee, dropping him like a stone. Pain exploded through Farran's mind as Richards stomped on his knee, putting his full weight on it. He knelt down, his eyes burning with malicious glee, "Oh, that felt good. Do you have any idea how hard it is not to just torture you little shits when you act up? I at least have to keep up some semblance of appearance. But now, I'm gonna enjoy this-"

"Richards!" Goodwitch roared. With a flick of her wrist, Richards was sent flying a few feet, landing on his back, "You would dare attack a student in front of me? I am the acting Headmaster of this Academy and as such-"

"Oh, shut your dust damned mouth, Witch. You know damn well you can't touch me. Or would you rather I go to the media about that little 'project' Ozpin is working on?" Richards forced himself back to his feet, dusting himself off, "You dare assault me? You're lucky your such a nice piece of eye candy, otherwise I would have gotten rid of you ages ago. I still have half a mind to…" He glared down at Farran, who was clutching his knee, "Consider yourself expelled. There might not be much I can do now, but once Ozpin comes back, you're done."

Richards took one last look down at his handiwork, and waddled out of the room. Fox and Yatsu helped Farran back to his feet, carefully aiding him over to one of the couches. Coco pulled Velvet, who stood staring at Farran, into a warm hug. Goodwitch quickly followed Richards out of the room, and they could hear echoes of her shouts until she left the building. After a minute, Velvet forced her way over to the couch, dropping into the seat next to Farran.

"W-Why?" Tears welled up in her eyes, "Why would you do that? You didn't need to… and now you'll be… I'm just not worth it, Farran!"

Farran put his hands tightly on her shoulders, "Velvet. Don't you ever say that again. Do you understand me? Ever. I don't give a damn what you think about yourself. You  _are_ worth it. I think so, your team thinks so, and I can guarantee that girl whose life you saved thinks so. You are my friend, Velvet. And yea, I know I'm an idiot, and I care too much about the admittedly few people I know, but there is nothing you can say or do to convince me that just sitting there and letting him talk shit about you would have been worth it. Just… do me a favor, ok? I know it's hard after it's all you've ever known, but you need to be less timid. Stand up for yourself! Be more selfish! The only reason they pick on you is cause they know they can get away with it, and you deserve so much more…"

"Farran…" She pulled him into a tight hug, "Thank you! I'm so, so sorry, but thank you for everything you've done for me!"

"Hey, what are friends for, right?" He patted her on the back. After a few moments, she let him go, and he smiled, "Now come on, stop acting like I'm dying. That asshole can bluster all he wants, but I'm not going anywhere. No way Ozpin lets that slide, right? I'm curios though, that necklace was yours, wasn't it?"

"O-Oh… Yeah…" Velvet twiddled her thumbs, "You see, my father was a member of the White Fang years ago, back when it was still a peaceful group. He had dealt with racism for years, and more than anything, he wanted me to grow up in a world without it. That obviously didn't happen. I came home crying one day when I was about thirteen, after a group of kids older than me chased me back home, shouting comments about the… reproductive habits of rabbits." She shivered at the memory, "He gave me the necklace, telling me that whenever someone treated me like that, to always think about the beliefs of the original White Fang, and promised that one day, I would never have to deal with things like that ever again."

Coco gave her a warm smile, "And that's why you kept it all this time, right? To remind you of all that?"

She nodded, "With the way people have been treating me lately, I've needed it a lot, even if I couldn't wear it because of everything the White Fang have been doing. But I did try to hide it! I put it up above the ceiling tiles in our room… I thought for sure he wouldn't take the time to check there."

"Well, I'm not all to surprised. Richards has a grudge against you for some reason. He was probably looking anywhere and everywhere he could get his grubby hands into…"

"Yeah…" Velvet paled, "I hope he didn't go digging through my clothes. Dust knows what that creep would have gotten into…"

"Speaking of clothes," Farran averted his gaze, "Why don't you go change? I'm sure you're probably sick of sitting around like that."

Velvet looked down, and realized that she was still in her towel, making her blush return, "Oh, right… I'll be right back…"

She scurried off, still embarrassed, but more cheerful than before. After a beat, Coco took her place, "So… that whole bit about you getting thrown off a roof…"

"Yeah…" Farran took a deep breath, "Wasn't expecting him to know about it…"

"Well, don't worry about it. If you don't want to talk about it, that's fine, and you can consider your secret safe with us. Speaking of secrets…" Her lips curled up in a coy smirk, "You talk a big game, hun. Certainly wasn't expecting you to bring up him selling Diamond Dust. But you and I both know Ozpin isn't gonna stop him from throwing you out. Now that he knows you know, he won't stop until you're gone."

"No… But I do have something up my sleeve." Farran leaned forward with a cocky grin, "I'm gonna make him confess all his crimes himself."

"How the hell do you plan to do that?" Fox stared at him, incredulous, until a realization hit him, "Wait… are you going to do whatever it was you did to Cardin?"

"More or less." Farran shrugged, "I might need you guys to help me a bit, though. In order to do this, I need to take out his cameras. All of them. And not just break them, but make it obvious that someone made it into his office and took them down, all without his knowledge. I've just been stumped on this for a bit now, and I figure you guys have already been here for a year, maybe you might be able to think of something."

There was a brief moment of silence before Fox snapped his fingers, "Well, if you can get into his office, I may be able to write up a virus that would shut them all down. Would that work?"

Farran's face lit up, "A computer virus? Yea, that would work! You can do that?"

"Sure. I've made plenty of programs before. Never really sent them anywhere, except for some localized pranks on some friends back home, but you know. It's been a while, but I think I can come up with a good ransomware program. Maybe something like, 'Confess your crimes to access these programs again'? Yea, that'll be good. It might take some time, but I'm sure I can get it done before Ozpin comes back."

Coco raised her eyebrows, "Hold on, Fox. How have we known each other for all this time, and yet I'm still just finding out your apparently a computer wiz? How does that even work with you being-"

"Voice to text, Coco." Fox pinched the bridge of his nose, "You'd know this by now if you didn't spend so much time gabbing about clothes! I made plenty of stuff last year for…"

Fox trailed off, and the three senior members of Team CFVY all started to look a bit down. Farran decided to change the topic so Velvet wouldn't return to more drama, "Well, I appreciate it, Fox. Just let me know whenever it's done. So, Coco! Did you have any more thoughts about that… modeling thing you asked me to do?"

"Oh, that? Of course!" Coco beamed, "I actually have your whole wardrobe planned out! Of course, Velvet and I will need to get your measurements whenever she comes back, but I think I did a good enough job just from eyeballing you. We were thinking on doing it this coming Sunday, would that work for you?"

"Sunday?" Farran went over his schedule in his head, "Nope, nothing planned for then. Sounds good to me."

"Perfect! Oh, you are just going to look fantastic, hun. I guarantee it. I can't wait until you see the finished product. I'm not kidding when I say Velvet is world-class. When we're done with you, you'll look like a career male model, and…"

Coco went off on a speech, going over her proposed outfits for the two of them, as well as the settings for the backdrops she and Velvet planned on using. Most of it flew right over his head, but he was more than happy to sit back and listen with just how excited she was. After a while, Velvet returned, fully dressed and still a bit tentative, but significantly more chipper than before. When Coco turned to her to discuss the shoot, it seemed as if the whole situation with Richards was all but forgotten. The two of them swept Farran back to their room, where they buzzed around him with tape measures, discussing the specifics of Farran's outfit faster than he could keep up with. As he stood there, watching Velvet happily flying around him, he felt his bond with her strengthen. However, more than that, he understood that the deadline had suddenly taken on a whole new meaning. Should they not stop Richards's Shadow before the deadline, not only would Richards take over Velvet's life, but his own life, and everything he had come to know at Beacon, would be forever torn away from him. He felt goosebumps rise up on his arms as his blood started to boil, trying his best not to show his internal intensity on his face. If Richards thought he would be able to take that all away from Farran, he had another thing coming. If they couldn't stop Richards's Shadow by the deadline, then Farran felt he might as well not come back from the Metaverse at all.


	12. Ascent

"Expelled?!"

Ruby and Yang stared at a rather apprehensive Farran, as the trio stood together in the alleyway they used to go to the Metaverse. Blake and Weiss had volunteered to keep watch over Velvet for most of the day, so once they left, the three gathered up their weapons and made their way there. Farran, who hadn't told any of his teammates about the altercation with Richards the day before, chose to share what happened with Ruby and Yang before they were transported to the other world. The results, as he figured they would be, were far less than pleasant.

"Will you two keep your voices down? I think some people in Mistral didn't hear you!" He growled, "Yea, Richards is planning on expelling me. It's not like it changes anything!"

"What do you mean it doesn't change anything?" Yang hissed, "Of course it does! Farran, you're going to get  _expelled_!"

"Not if we stop Richards first! Look, the deadline for Velvet, and the deadline for me are the same day, right? So it changes nothing! All we gotta do is stick with what we had originally planned, and everything will be alright."

Ruby looked at him, unconvinced, "That's all great and all, but we still don't know how we're going to take out Richards's Shadow! I mean, I know you said the cameras, but…"

"Oh, that? Already working on it." Farran folded his arms with a cocky grin, "One of Velvet's teammates is great with computers. I didn't tell him anything about all this, but he's working on a virus for the computer that runs all the cameras. All we gotta do is break in whenever it's ready, and we're good to go! But that's still a little bit off for now, let's focus on today. You guys ready?"

Ruby pouted, "I wish you were taking this a bit more seriously, but yea. We're ready."

_Believe me, Ruby… I'm taking this very seriously…_  Farran took a peek around the corners of the alley, making sure the coast was clear, and the three lined up along the back wall. He flipped open his scroll, opening the app, and pressing the button to transport them to the Metaverse. The blinding light swallowed them, as the winds whipped past, and their world fell away from them, leaving them to the void of light.

* * *

The first thing that Farran noticed when the light faded away was the sky around the factory. The last time they had gone through the Metaverse, a thick cloud of smog filled the air, surrounding the tower and blocking out the sky, as well as the true palace at the tower's precipice. The blood red sky that had been previously obscured by smog now hung above them in full view, the golden mansion atop the tower shone like some bastardized moon. Evidently, the damage that Yang had done to the factory during their last foray here had shut it down, and the smokestacks that sent the haze heavenwards along with it. He could see a dot of blue exit the front door of the factory and run down the path towards them, the form of Viola slowly growing as she got closer.

"Welcome back." She waved at the new arrivals as she approached, "I apologize for not being here to greet you as you arrived, but I was taking a look around inside to make sure we were clear to enter."

"It's ok." Yang returned her wave, "How were things inside?"

"Well, obviously the factory has been shut down." She gestured to the Palace behind her, "Not only did a certain someone make the assembly line inoperable, but the Palace ruler has called  _all_  the guard Shadows back to the top of the tower. As for the rest of the main floor, they've blockaded all the hallways to the factory. The only accessible part is the lobby, and the elevator within. But…" She folded her hands behind her back, a bit of smugness in her smile, "There's a little something on the inside that I think will make you pretty happy."

Viola spun on her heels, and returned down the way she came, right back towards the factory. Farran, Ruby, and Yang stared after her, confused, and yet quickly followed her lead nonetheless. She paused next to the door, motioning for them to line up next to her and holding the door slightly ajar. Farran took a peek inside to see the usual lobby in a much worse state of disarray than it had been before. Chairs ripped from their supports and upheaved, lights hanging shattered from the ceiling, and the phone that had been constantly ringing had somehow wound up embedded into the concrete wall. In the middle of all the chaos sat a beautiful diamond the size of a pineapple, shining with an eerie light that changed colors every few seconds, and bound to it was what looked to be a Shadow, ghost-like in appearance, with sunken, beady eyes. Viola pushed them back out of the doorframe and silently closed it.

"Ok… What the hell was that thing?" Yang asked, wide-eyed, "I don't think I've ever seen a diamond that big. It looks like it would be worth a fortune!"

"That is what we call Treasure demons." Farran could see a twinkle in Viola's eyes as she spoke, "A very important, and very skittish kind of Shadow. They come out in Palaces that are on high alert, and populate the areas that have been abandoned. They won't attack you, and will actually try to run if you attack it. If you were to defeat it, it will leave behind far more Lien than any normal Shadow. And if you were to capture it, Farran, it possesses very powerful skills that will be instrumental to us."

Farran furrowed his brow, "But if all it has all those skills, why does it try to run? You'd think it would fight back."

"That's very simple? While it has those skills, it can't use them. However, that isn't why it's so important. You see, that particular Shadow is called Allnatt, and it belongs to the Chariot arcana. I believe that is the one that represents Yang. Now, while it can't use those skills on its own, should you fuse it with another Persona, you will receive a stronger Persona of the Chariot arcana that  _can_  use them. See what I mean?"

"So, if I take it as my Persona, I could fuse it with, say, the Headless Horseman, and get something stronger and not as creepy."

Viola beamed, "Precisely what I was thinking. You see, Chariot Personas have a penchant for devastating physical skills, and the Headless Horseman is your strongest Persona in terms of physical attack strength. That fusion would be perfect for you, in my opinion."

"Ok, so what exactly do we need to do?"

"Well, I can tell you that it's weak to fire. That being the case, You should use Salamander, and between you and Yang, you should be able to knock it down. After that, just grab it and we'll be good to go. Any questions?"

They collectively shook their heads, and as soon as Farran threw the door open, sprinted inside. The ensuing battle wasn't particularly long, as Viola had been right about the Shadow preferring to run rather than fight. Even so, it took a few tries for the group to corner it, as it was far faster than they anticipated, dodging the fire spells sent by Pele and Salamander. Just when it seemed it would slip from their grasp, a lucky shot from Pele clipped it, dropping it to the ground. Farran didn't even need to bargain with the Shadow, instead he just tossed the chain that appeared around his wrist to it, and instantly, the Shadow became bound to him. After a bit of discussion, they decided that Farran should go take care of the fusion right then. He felt apprehensive leaving Yang and Ruby in the lobby alone, yet Viola explained that the Shadows shouldn't be coming down to the ground floor any time soon. With that in mind, Farran took the blue card from his pocket, tore it, and threw it into the corner of the room to summon the Velvet Room door. With a promise to keep it a short trip, he walked through the door as the bright, blue light consumed him.

* * *

"Ahh, welcome to the Velvet Room, my dear guest." Igor greeted as the bright light faded around Farran, "It has been some time since our last meeting. Tell me, have you noticed yet? How the hands of fate are already setting the pieces in place? The moment that has been foretold is fast approaching, after all. Hmhmhm."

"Yea, I noticed. Kind of hard not to when one of the most important politicians in the Kingdom is assassinated to make way for it." He took his usual seat in the wrought iron chair, watching as Viola made her way behind the podium, to the area where the execution equipment was kept, "That's why I'm here today. We need to clear a path to the center of the Palace, right?"

"That is correct. When you render the Palace ruler's Shadow vulnerable to you, it will take refuge there. And seeing that you have quite the journey ahead of you, allow me to assist you the best I can." Igor snapped his fingers, causing the light in the room to grow, once again allowing Farran to see behind the podium. Two of the guillotines started to slide forward, each taking their spot on either side of the podium, with Viola riding on the side of the rightmost one, "Now then, Viola. I trust these are prepared to allow our dear guest to fuse his Personas?"

"Yes, Master." She bowed to Igor, "Theodore and Nameless had set them up previously, and I have confirmed that they are ready for use."

"Excellent. Very well, my dear guest. Look deep into the recesses of your mind, and call forth the two Personas which you wish to fuse. When you are ready, we will begin."

Farran did as he was told, closing his eyes and thinking hard about Allnatt and the Headless Horseman. He could feel a chill running down his spine, even just picturing the Horseman in his mind's eye. He strained himself, focusing hard on the images of the two, until suddenly, he felt as if they both had left him. In a panic, his eyes flew open to make sure everything was ok, only to find himself face to face with the two Personas he was to fuse. The sight of the Headless Horseman caused Farran's mind to erupt with a fiery pain, and he could once again hear the slow tones of the piano he had heard the day he took the Horseman as a Persona. Small images started to flash before his eyes, most of them complete blurs, but they caused him to picture a small, dark room, and a beautiful grand piano. Just as soon as the pain and music had started, it all stopped when Viola threw blue velvet sheets over both Allnatt and the Horseman, tying them into bundles. Covered in the sheet, the Horseman even lost its usual form, looking more like a cartoon ghost than anything else. She dragged the two into position, resting what looked to be their heads beneath the blades of the guillotines. When she gave the all clear, Farran looked up to Igor and nodded. Igor snapped his fingers, causing the blades to drop. They screamed down their tracks, freefalling towards the Personas below.

* * *

"He's just  _standing_  there!" Yang groaned in frustration, "I seriously don't get this, how does he go to that room, if all he does is just zone out and stand there?"

From her and Ruby's perspective, when Farran had entered the Velvet Room, he had just walked towards the spot where he threw the card, then froze and started staring off into space. Yang had tried everything she could think of to try to get him lucid, trying to get an explanation out of him, but he didn't even blink. With no other option, the two sisters decided to wait in the lobby's chairs until Farran and Viola "came back".

"I dunno, it was the same way the last time, wasn't it?" Ruby brought a finger to her chin as she thought back, "The day we took Viola shopping. All Farran did was stand still in the bathroom, then all of a sudden, Viola was with him."

"Yea, I know that. But it doesn't make it any less weird. Almost like he's going into his own head."

"Yang. This whole world is pretty much inside Richards's heart, and we got here with an app on our scrolls. We're fighting against the physical form of repressed human emotions, with the physical representation of the emotions we share with other people, which we just so happen to summon by breaking chains that appear on our wrists. How exactly is what Farran is doing any more or less weird than any of this?"

"Alright, alright, I get your point. I guess we can't really apply the Beacon Scale of Weirdness to this place, huh?" She rested her chin on her palm, "Just remind me to bring a marker or something next time, so I can draw on his face while he's all spaced out."

"Yang, don't be mean."

With a soft crack, Viola reappeared next to Farran, who also started moving again in the same instant. He moved back to join them with Viola following close behind, "You guys ready to go?"

"Yeah." Ruby leapt to her feet, swarming around him, "So, did you get your new Persona? What's it like? You gotta show us!"

"Eh, maybe I will once we get into a tough fight." Farran gave her a cocky grin, "I think I'll keep it a surprise until then."

"Yeah whatever, Hero." Yang clapped him on the back as she headed towards the elevator, "All I know is it better be a good one. After all, it  _is_  supposed to represent me, isn't it?"

The group approached the elevator as Viola brandished the keycard, their hard won prize from their fight against Salamander in their last visit. After a brief moment of waiting, the doors slid open to the empty elevator, allowing them safe passage on. Farran was surprised at just how long their ride to the top took, granted he realized that the last time he had been on this elevator, he had been unconscious. Viola borrowed Farran's scroll, bringing up the app to check on the movements of the guard Shadows on the floors above them, only to find a contingent of Shadows heading for the elevator's landing. Yang, Ruby, and Farran lined up by the door, knowing that they would need to be ready for a fight from the outset.

The elevator opened to the landing, revealing a surprised group of Shadows, which took the appearance of small, red demons with sharp, phallic metal pieces tied to their waists. Viola identified them as Incubi, much to Yang's amusement and Ruby's confusion. Farran spent much of the fight keeping watch over Yang out of the corner of his eye. He knew that none of his teammates needed to babysit them in combat, Yang especially, however he knew she had only ever had two fights using her Persona, and he didn't count the one against Allnatt as a real fight. His worries proved to be founded as, even though she was far from outmatched, she struggled trying to use her Persona in conjunction with Ember Celica. Thankfully, it seemed the Incubi were weak to gun based damage, allowing them to take out the Shadows relatively easily and move on.

Their path clear, Viola navigated the group through the labyrinth, taking them through the areas with the least amount of traffic, which just so happened to take them back past the cells where Farran and Ruby had been confined. Farran couldn't help but smile as they passed through the room, still in a state of great disrepair after his fight with Shadow Cardin, the door to their cell still hanging open. It wasn't long after that they came to the end of the corridor they were following, steel double doors leading to a stairwell in front of them. It would turn out that they had three more floors ahead of them before they even reached the palace, each more populated with Shadows than the last.

Viola did her best to steer them away from any Shadows as they ascended, but there was only so much that they could do, and every so often, they were forced into a fight. For as inexperienced as she was using Pele to fight against the Incubi, she improved by leaps and bounds with each fight they encountered. It spoke wonders about her combat prowess that someone who had fought using one style exclusively for most of her life could so easily adapt, and soon she was able to effortlessly combine her own strikes with also summoning her Persona and using it as an extension of her body. It got to the point that, despite her instincts clearly telling her to use her fists, by the time they reached the top of the disk, she was relying on Ember Celica more as a side arm than as her main form of attack. After one last wave of Shadows, the group came to a final case of stairs.

* * *

_At Beacon Academy:_

Weiss had spent the past half hour nearly pacing a hole in the floor of Team RWBY's dorm room. Every few turns, she would look over to Blake, the only other current occupant of the room who once again had her face buried in a book, and sighed. After Ren and Nora had taken over watching over Velvet, the duo had returned to the dorm room, only to find it empty. Weiss's lips were curled into a sharp frown, not out of anger as per usual, but out of worry. After repeating this pattern for quite some time, she finally stopped and rounded on Blake, putting her hands on her hips.

"Aren't you the least bit curious?" She scolded.

Blake simply flipped to the next page of her book, "As to why you've been pacing around for the last Dust knows how long? Not particularly, no."

"Not that!" She pinched the bridge of her nose, "In case you haven't realized, three of our teammates just up and disappeared after we said we were going to look out for Velvet. Which, might I add, is suspicious in its own right, because there is no way Richards would have held a conversation like that anywhere near where other people could hear him."

"I think you're giving him too much credit. Didn't you say those two girls were trying to mess with Velvet's locked again today?"

Weiss just sighed. It was entirely true that she had seen the two second years in question tampering with Velvet's locker when she had gone into the locker room with the intent of keeping an eye on it while Velvet was working out. What they were planning on doing with Velvet's undergarments was beyond her, but she was thankful that they stopped once she approached them, calling them out for breaking into the locker of a "friend" of hers. They certainly looked confused as to why a Schnee was friends with a Faunus, but they certainly didn't look ready to question it. The perks of her family name, she figured.

"Even so, you can hardly call their behavior of late normal." Weiss huffed, "The three of them have been disappearing to who knows where for extended periods of time, and they always seem to be together!"

"I hate to break it to you, Weiss. That's just what normal teammates do. Look at JNPR. Ren and Nora are practically tied at the hip, Jaune and Ren hang out all the time, and the same with Nora and Pyrrha. Hell, Pyrrha would probably hang out with Jaune more if-"

"If the buffoon could get a clue. Yes, I know." Weiss dropped into a nearby chair.

"But you see what I'm getting at, right? Ruby and Yang are Nora levels of outgoing, and Farran just tends to let himself be swept up with whatever throws itself at him. It's just that we're kinda antisocial, and even then, you've hung out with them plenty of times. Nothing weird about what they're doing, you know?"

"You say that, but…" She stared out the dorm room window, "I just get the feeling something strange is going on, and I intend to find out what…"

* * *

They followed the stairs up to a pair of metal storm cellar doors, which when pushed open, allowed them out onto the peak of the metal disk. Wind whipped about them as they exited, the thin, evening air chilling them as they took in the golden manor before them. The moon soared ever higher above them, its pale light causing the gold of the four story building's exterior to shimmer. After a few seconds, Farran noticed a thin shockwave spread from high above the manor, curling through the air, and down into the sides of the platform.

"Hey guys, what's up with that?" He pointed to it as the phenomenon happened again and again, "You guys seeing what I'm seeing?"

Viola nodded, "The Palace ruler knows you can fly, Farran. I would imagine his cognition implemented some sort of barrier around the top of this tower, as he believes it impenetrable to anyone but his own men. I had a feeling something like that might happen. Whether your Semblance was listed in the same report that detailed your injuries, or word got back to him about it since you very well couldn't go without it during your normal school life. It was bound to get back to him with how connected he is."

"Well that blows…" Yang folded her arms, "While I wasn't exactly excited about Hero here carting us all up here when we finally come take this bastard down, but that sure as hell beats having to hoof it all the way through where we just came! Especially cause he'll probably gonna have the place swamped with Shadows once he knows we're a threat. Is there seriously no other way up here?"

"I… really can't say for sure, but I would have to imagine that's the case." Viola closed her eyes, lost in thought, "On the one hand, he believes this place to be impossible to reach. On the other, if an enemy were to reach it, like we have, not having a quick escape would essentially seal this place off as his tomb. I suppose it's worth investigating while we're here…"

"Speaking of…" Ruby took a look around them, "How exactly are we going to get inside? I don't think just walking in the front door is a safe idea."

Viola fiddled with Farran's scroll for a second, "No, you would be right. It looks like there are regular patrols that make their way through the main foyer. Strong ones too, in both size and number. In fact, it seems like the 'ground' floor of the manor is the most heavily guarded. Not a bad idea, given that there doesn't seem to be any other way in…"

"And I don't suppose just flying up to one of the windows and letting ourselves in is an option?" Farran looked over her shoulder, down at the holo-screen that displayed the manor's layout.

"No… Each window has a sensor attached to it. If one gets broken or is opened from the outside, it'll sound an alarm."

Yang glanced up at the golden building in front of them, "So, we're going to have to just suck it up and go in the front?"

"I don't think so. There should be something…" She squinted as her vision started to zero in on a spot on the blueprints, "There? Well, that's unfortunate."

"Why, what's up?" Farran stared to the point she was inspecting as the other two crowded around the scroll. There was a small opening at the back of the building that led up to the second floor. Farran groaned as he realized her meaning, "We have to go through another air vent?"

Ruby pushed her skirt tightly against her legs, her face starting to turn pink, "Do we have to? I don't to have to do that all again!"

"What do you guys mean, 'again'?" Farran felt Yang grip his shoulder dangerously tight, the fire in her eyes belying her calm smile.

"First off, we didn't have a choice! If we didn't go through the last one, the four of us wouldn't be standing here right now." Viola folded up the scroll, "Second, it's the only secure way for us to get in and out. There's no way we could survive going through the front. I'm no more excited about it than any of you, but we really don't have much of a choice…"

Reluctantly, the group made their way around the back of the manor to where the grate that would grant them access inside was located. Farran and Yang popped the grate off, and one by one they crawled inside, Viola first, then Ruby, then Yang, and Farran last. The crawl through the vent was quiet, awkward, and seemed to last forever from Farran's perspective. The longer they went, he could feel the temperature and humidity of the air skyrocket. Beads of sweat started to pool and run down his skin, his only defense from the heat. After a few minutes, the line ahead of him froze, as he heard Viola working to take another metal grate off. Seconds later, he could hear the sound of it falling, followed shortly by Viola dropping through the newly made hole. Happy to finally be rid of the air vent, the three Persona users followed her lead.

They found themselves in a cramped, dark room, surrounded by cedar shelves filled with a variety of drawers. Heavy humidity continued to hang in the air in this room, as well as an unfamiliar, odorous musk.

"I should have known…" Yang muttered as she fiddled through one of the drawers, "This asshole has no idea what he's doing. It's way too hot and humid in here. He's lucky this place isn't neck deep in beetles."

Ruby looked up at her sister in confusion, "What are you talking about, Yang? Beetles?"

She reached into the drawer and pulled out a long, thick cigar, "Yea. Basically, this room is a humidor. The whole point of them is to keep your cigars, or more specifically whatever kind of tobacco you use, nice and humid so it ages well. Except this Dust damned moron has got the temperature and humidity of this place way too high. There's this one kind of beetle that will lay eggs in tobacco, and in this kind of setting, they thrive. A shame too, cause these seem like really high quality."

Ruby stared at her, until a look of clarity crossed her face, "Oh, that's right. I forgot you used to work at Mr. Henderson's shop when you were on break from Signal."

"Bingo. That old cuss always was particular about his booze and tobacco. But I guess that's how I got the job in the first place, considering he was such good friends with Qrow after all their 'bonding'. Can't say he didn't teach me a hell of a lot though!"

"Didn't take you for the type to work at a tobacco shop, Yang." Farran mused.

"Eh, less a tobacco shop and more a general goods store. Besides, when you're a teenager on a backwater place like Patch, you take whatever work you can get, cause not too many places are hiring. Not to mention Henderson was a Huntsman back in his day. Had to retire cause of a bad hip."

The group pressed on, leaving the humidor room behind them, though not before Yang could pocket a few of the cigars she deemed "salvageable", as well as an ornate cigar box she found on one of the shelves, simply stating that she planned on mailing them home for her uncle to give to Henderson. Farran had half expected the interior of the manor to match the golden exterior, but found it far more reserved, even if it was far from homely. Intricate tile flooring lined rooms and halls they passed through, most covered by silk rugs. Every so often, they would have to duck around a corner, or behind a cabinet to avoid patrolling Shadows, but they made their way through without much difficulty. After a while, they came through a door into the second floor of the foyer, a marble grand staircase running down between the two floors. Viola beckoned the group to hide, as she saw a patrol of Shadows making their way through the foyer. From his hiding place by a bookshelf, Farran could hear the Shadows talking amongst themselves as the entered.

A guard Shadow wearing a golden suit stopped and held up his hand in the middle of the room, getting the Shadows that were following it to stop. It waved towards an area Farran couldn't see, prompting a Shadow that had once been hidden to approach it, "Has there been any sign of the enemy? Boss Richards is anxious to hear any and all reports that we have to offer on their movements."

The second Shadow, this one in a blue suit, saluted, "No, sir! Everything has been quiet, both at the base of the tower, as well as in the city. No sign of the intruders, or the turncoats at least."

The golden Shadow shook its head, "Unbelievable. To think that our own brothers would turn tail on us when we have done nothing wrong."

"If I may speak plainly, sir. The traitors can hardly be called our brothers. They come from Atlas, sent by the higher ups there. Thankless, ungrateful bastards. It is Boss Richards that has paved the way out of mediocrity for us, and taking the Crown Jewel that is Beacon was all his doing."

"That may be…" The golden Shadow nodded sagely, "Very well. Should you receive word on any movements, let me know immediately. Boss Richards must be notified as soon as we are able, should there be any kind of attack."

The Shadows saluted, and disappeared through a pair of doors on the side of the room. Once the coast was clear, Farran regrouped with the others, "Well, that was some interesting information. A bit of dissension among the Shadows?"

"That's what it sounds like." Ruby stared at the spot on the ground floor where the Shadows had been standing, "Wonder what it all means…"

"Sounds like that asshole managed to piss off some of his higher ups back in Atlas." Yang grinned, "Guess we aren't the only ones sick of his shit."

Viola shook her head, solemnly, "Even so, it appears they will not make a move while the Palace ruler still has a stranglehold over your school. It must be far too valuable to them to deal with such a nuisance. Although… that does give me an idea."

"Hm? What's up, V?"

"Well, it's just about the Palace ruler's cognition. The Shadows that represent the members of the Atlesian mafia that are after him won't attack here because he believes they won't. However, there's still this paranoid part of him that thinks they might. But if he's paranoid, that means that while he doesn't believe  _we_ can get up here, he believes  _they_ can, which is why he has all the security."

Farran paused, trying to figure out her meaning, "So if he thinks they can get up here to kill him… That must mean he has some way of getting out in a hurry on the off chance they do, right?"

Viola snapped her fingers, "Exactly. And that will be our quick way in and out when we take on his Shadow. All we need to do is find it. If I had to guess, it'll probably be on the floor above us, while the Palace ruler's chambers are on the top floor."

"Well, time's a wastin'! Let's get looking, shall we?" Yang cracked her knuckles.

They found passage to the next floor shortly there after in the form of a spiral, stone staircase. Navigating through this floor proved much simpler than the rest of their trek thus far, as almost all of the Shadow guards had been sent to patrol the inside of the platform, or the lowest two floors of the manor. From the map on Farran's scroll, Viola figured there were only about five Shadows residing on this floor, four of which took simple, easy to predict patrols. The fifth, however, seemed to move rather erratically. It would follow one of the Shadows, only to freeze or dart around a corner every so often, and then continue following it shortly after. The group avoided the patrols as they made their way across the floor, until they came across a locked door in a large dining hall, not too far away from the staircase they would need to take to reach the final floor.

"Think this might be our escape route?" Yang stared at the door handle, "There hasn't exactly been any other locked doors in this whole building."

"I think that's a safe bet. Whatever it is, this room must be something important." Viola hummed.

Farran kept an eye out for the patrolling Shadows, "Any ideas on how to get in?"

Yang clenched her fist, "I could smash it in, but that would just call all the Shadows in the damn building right to us…"

"Don't worry, guys. I got this one." Ruby said with a smile. She fished through the pouch on her belt, pulling out a hair pin. After bending the pin for a second, she knelt down, and delicately started moving it into the lock.

"You can't be serious, Rubes…" Yang stared at her sister, incredulous, "Where did you learn how to pick locks?"

"Uncle Qrow." She stated nonchalantly, "Remember that April Fool's Day years ago, when Dad and Uncle Qrow saran wrapped you to your bed?"

"…Yea?"

"Well, apparently you decided to lock your bedroom door that day, so nobody could prank you until you woke up. I found Uncle Qrow picking the lock to your door, and he taught me how. You'd be surprised how easy it is. Then again, maybe I'm just used to using tiny tools from working on Crescent Rose for so long."

Farran shook his head, letting out a slow breath, "Remind me never to mess with your family, Yang. You guys are something else…"

She raised an eyebrow, "You're just figuring this out now? Still gonna have to have a long talk to my dear, sweet Uncle on acceptable topics to be teaching my baby sister."

The lock clicked, and Ruby turned the handle, pushing the door open. She stuck her tongue out at Yang as the group made their way inside. The room beyond the door seemed to be a study, with books and maps of all sorts strewn all over the place. A computer terminal sat in the corner of the room, softly humming away. The center of the floor was covered with a glowing, white sigil, that seemed to slowly turn and shift without any rhyme or reason.

"Hey, doesn't that look kinda like Weiss's glyphs?" Yang motioned towards it, "I wonder what it does."

"That, Yang, would be our way out." Viola beamed, "I believe that it stepping onto it will transport us out of here. Not sure where it leads, but I would have to imagine it's away from here. Best part is, it should go both ways!"

"Oh, really? If that's the best part, should I assume you like things that go both ways?" Yang waggled her eyebrows, drawing a deep blush from the now exasperated Viola.

"Alright!" Ruby pumped her fist, cutting Yang off and saving Viola from any more embarrassment, "Farran, you and Yang use that sigil, and see where it leads. Viola, you and I are going to look around here, see what kind of information we can find. Sound good?"

Everyone nodded to her question. As Viola and Ruby started speeding around the room, Farran and Yang took a few steps forward to the center of the sigil. With a brief flash of light, he felt the floor fall out from under them, and he and Yang began to fall. It was an odd feeling, as he was still able to see as the two of them descended through all the floors they had just passed through, almost as if the two of them had become ghosts. Just as they were reaching the ground floor of the factory, their momentum slowed, and by the time they reached their destination, Farran barely felt the impact. They found themselves in a small, steel room, in which the only light came from a similar sigil to the one they had just used. A door stood in front of them, sealed air tight, with an advanced locking mechanism that looked like it would hold against all but the strongest of equipment. It took both Farran and Yang to pull the lever to release the mechanism, but once they did, the door swung open, revealing the courtyard outside, and thus, their exit.

"So, this is pretty much perfect, right?" Yang clapped Farran on the back, "All we gotta do is come in through here, and we don't have to worry about any Shadows. Just walk right in, take down that asshole, and leave!"

""Yea, just don't forget to leave it unlocked," Farran pointed at the door, "I don't care how strong you are, you aren't pulling that thing open if it's locked."

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say, Hero. Come on, let's get back topside. I'm starting to get curious if they found anything good."

They stepped back on the sigil, and instantly found themselves flying back to the top. Despite having actually flown many times with his own wings, the lack of control over his movement and momentum made the trip a nauseating one for Farran. When they finally landed, Ruby and Viola were crowded around a table in the corner, a variety of documents spread out on top of it.

"So, we find anything good?" Farran called to them as he approached.

"Yea, plenty." Viola said absentmindedly as she read through the papers, "From what we can tell, the Palace ruler has been keeping a lot of the profits from the Diamond Dust trade to himself. His superiors in Atlas apparently know all about it, and have threatened him on multiple occasions. Their threats have ranged from ousting him from their gang to outright torturing and killing him. Yet, despite all this, not only does he continue to do it, he boldly boasts back to them about how they would never try it."

"It's like this part right here," Ruby scanned one of the papers she held as she read aloud, "'You're gonna kill me? Go ahead, do it. Send your best men, a-holes. Just remember that the second I'm gone, you lose Beacon, and all the Huntsmen that go along with it, forever. I have Ozpin by the balls, and I'm the only reason we've been raking in so much Lien. You don't even want to know what will happen if I see your men on campus.' He just gets angrier and angrier from there. Dust, this jerk has a filthy mouth… hand… whatever. Oh!" She fished out a picture that was buried amongst the papers, "It looks like he managed to get a few shots of some of the guys that were sent after him. Wow, they really all dress up like old time gangsters, don't they…"

"So, can't we just take these papers home with us and bust him?" There was audible excitement in Yang's voice, "If we hand them over to the police, they'll come and arrest him, and then we wont even have to take on his Shadow. And we'll take out the Atlesian Mafia along with him!"

"I'm sorry, but that isn't the best idea. To start, you would be questioned on how exactly you got these documents, and that would cast suspicion on all of you. Plus, if backed into a corner, the Palace ruler would probably unveil the secret he's been holding over your headmaster's head, just to take everyone else down with him. He certainly seems like the type…" Viola frowned, "At least, once we change his heart, he will most likely confess to everything anyways, so in a way, you will be crippling, if not outright destroying, their group."

"Still," Farran took the picture from Ruby. Two men dressed in attire one would expect in an old mafia film looked as if they had just walked off the boat into Vale, "I think we should at least take this with us. Who knows, it might help us out later."

Farran pocketed the photo, and went to pour over the documents with the others, but they were all stopped when the sound of a gunshot rang out in the air. Farran felt a searing hot pain in his shoulder, as his body was shoved forward, slamming face down onto the table before slumping to the ground. Gripping his shoulder, he spun around to the sight of three human-like Shadows standing in the doorway, each garbed in elegant clothes, steel breastplates, and feathered caps. The left-most Shadow was in all gold, the right-most in blue, and center in green, but each had a silver fleur-de-lis emblazoned on their chest, a rapier sheathed at their waist, and most importantly, large caliber muskets trained on the group.

Another salvo rang out from the Shadows as Yang pulled Viola out of the way. Ruby dodge rolled a short distance across the ground, summoning Lupa as she came upright. A maelstrom of wind exploded in front of the Shadows, knocking two of the three back into the hall. Before the third could recover, Pele charged it, slamming her fist into its chin and sending it from the room with the rest. Viola helped Farran to his feet, and the group sped out into the hall to deal with this new threat before they could summon any reinforcements. The Shadows had just stumbled back to their feet as the Persona users got into position.

"Alright, V." Yang called out, "What are we looking at here?"

A soft light spread through the room before she answered, "Musketeers, Shadows from the Justice Arcana. All three have really strong Gun based skills, as well as some strong magic based on their color. Yellow is lightning, blue is ice, green is wind."

Ruby contemplated the information for a moment, the started giving orders, "Alright, we'll break them down by weaknesses. Farran, you take down the green one. Yang, you got blue. Everyone ready?"

Farran and Yang nodded as Yang cracked her knuckles. With a smug grin, she beckoned the blue Shadow to attack. Blasts of ice erupted all around her, as the Shadow hammered at the trigger of its musket, but Yang was far too quick. She bobbed and weaved around her opponent before it could draw a bead on her, each shot of ice magic landing just off the mark. Slowly, she inched her way towards the Shadow, her footwork keeping her safe from its attacks, and letting loose a few blasts from Ember Celica when the opportunity presented itself. Finally, she reached her goal, making her way within arm's reach of the Musketeer, as she began to pepper it with strikes. Ember Celica's shotgun blasts rang out as she forced the Shadow back on its heels, knocking it several feet backwards. Just before she could get into a position to definitively finish off the Shadow, it retaliated by raising its rifle at her and blasted her dead in the chest with a burst of frost. She reeled, taking a few steps back with her entire upper torso encased in a block of ice. The Shadow followed up on the defenseless Yang, slamming the but of its rifle into her chin, pausing for a moment, then struck her again, knocking her to the ground. The Shadow's smug sneer as it took aim at her was only matched by Yang's own as her hair started to glow. The ice started to shatter around her as her body heated up, allowing her to break free and move her arms, summoning Pele again. Pele sped up to the Shadow before it could retort, delivering a devastating hook into its stomach with her flaming fists. Not letting up for a second, she rocketed her fists up into its chin, sending it high into the air. Satisfied, Yang snapped her fingers as Pele raised her hands above her head, a small star of a fireball forming above her. Once it was sufficiently sized, Pele lobbed it at the Shadow, the flames engulfing it once and for all.

A short ways away, Farran stood locked in combat with the green Musketeer. He had originally started off with Kijimuna, using its resistance to wind as a shield as he let loose a number of shots of lightning dust from Silverbreak. This worked quite well for a while, wearing the Shadow down quite a bit, but when it became obvious that it couldn't win the duel from range, it switched to a different tactic. The Shadow holstered its musket and unsheathed its rapier, charging not for Farran, but at Kijimuna, slicing at the small Persona. Farran felt all of the impact of the slash, his chest erupting in a line of searing pain as he saw Kijimuna disappear in a burst of light. The Shadow lunged at Farran, looking to plunge its blade into him, but was stopped as he called forth Lady Luck. Sparks flew as the Shadow's blade collided with hers, the sharp sound if steel grinding together ringing out as they clashed. Farran forced himself back to his feet, and switched Silverbreak back into its blade form, rushing at the Shadow. What resulted was a two on one assault, with Silverbreak and Lady Luck's electrically charged blade clashing against the Shadows. Even so, the Musketeer proved to be dexterous and deadly with the blade in its own right, keeping both Persona and user at bay, and even scoring quite a few hits of its own. Still, the numbers game proved to be in Farran's favor, as Lady Luck managed to score a lucky hit on the Shadow, electricity coursing from her blade and through its body, stunning it. Before the Shadow could recover, Farran dropped down and switched Silverbreak into crossbow form, placing its barrel right under the Shadow's chin, and pulling the trigger. The Shadow evaporated before it hit the ground.

While Farran and Yang were dealing with their targets, Ruby sped about the room taking on her own. Much like Farran, she opted to take a long distance approach, using her Semblance to zip around the room, getting into position to snipe the Shadow, and to get away from the lightning attacks it tried to hit her with. At the same time, she used Lupa as a decoy, her wind spells whipping by the Shadow, while also pelting it with various plates and silverware that had been set at the tables previously, even managing to send a full turkey smashing into its face. Once it had managed to wipe the stuffing from its face, the now incensed Shadow took aim at Lupa, dropping a lightning bolt on top of her, and sending her and Ruby to the floor. The Shadow approached her, its musket trained right on her. Once it got within arm's reach, with one swift motion, Ruby switched Crescent Rose into scythe mode, and swept the legs out from under the Shadow, and sending its musket sailing halfway across the room. Stumbling back to its feet, the Shadow drew its blade, looking to continue the battle hand-to-hand, however unlike Farran's duel, Ruby was able to generate much more power behind each of Crescent Rose's swings. The Shadow could hardly get its own attacks in edgewise, as Ruby continued to swing in a flurry of blows, forcing the Shadow back, its only resort being to block and dodge with all its might. The battle came to a head as Ruby forced the Shadow all the way across the room, backing it into a corner against the wall. The Shadow tried in vain to block one last time, but with the strength Ruby put behind her swing, its rapier was ripped from its hand. With one last grin, Ruby held Crescent Rose skyward, bringing it down and cleaving the Shadow in two. The two remaining halves fell to the floor and melted.

She wiped the perspiration from her brow, and turned to check on her teammates, seeing them finish with their Shadows as well. Once the coast was clear, she waved for them to regroup, "I think that's the last of it. You guys ok?"

"Yeah, all good here." Yang stretched her arm, "How about that? Even Richards's elite guards don't stand a chance against us! We completely floored 'em!"

"It's a shame, though." Farran looked whimsically at his wrist, "I was hoping I'd be able to take one as a Persona."

"Tough shit, Hero!" Yang clapped him on the back, "If you wanted to have one, you shouldn't have executed it. Whatever, we're three for three on this floor. Let's head to the next one, make sure that's where we gotta go, then get the hell back home."

"Wait… Three?" In a hurry, Viola flipped open Farran's scroll, "Oh no… Guys, there's still one more-"

She was cut off by the far door being thrown open, "Athos, Porthos, Aramis, sirs! Where are you…?"

The group turned to see another Shadow, much like the Musketeers they had just defeated, standing in the doorway. Whereas the previous Musketeers looked as if they were adults, this one seemed more boyish, hardly older than Ruby. Instead of the colorful, fancy outfits the others had worn, this one's was much more simple, and colored a deep brown. The boyish Shadow swept a lock of its golden hair from its face as it stared at the group, recognition starting to flash in its eyes.

"Y-You… You! Villain!" The Shadow shot an accusatory finger at Farran, marching up to him, "How dare you… Breaking into Boss Richards's Palace, destroying my fellow Musketeers… and just generally making a mess of the place! Look at what you've done!"

Farran just raised an eyebrow at the shrieking Shadow, "Villain? Dust, what's with you people and weird ass nicknames. I'm hardly a villain, man."

"Lies! All lies! Beyond that, you've clearly taken these three beautiful maidens hostage!" He gestured at Viola, Yang, and Ruby with a wink. He could hear Yang snicker and Ruby gag, "That tears it! You and me, villain! Right here, right now in single combat. I demand a duel!"

"A duel? What the heck are you- OW!"

Farran was cut off as the Shadow pulled a glove from its hand, and deftly smacked him across the face with it. It dropped the glove at Farran's feet and walked a few paces away, drawing a musket, looking at him expectantly, "Well, Villain? Prepare for the duel!"

Farran looked back to Ruby, Yang, and Viola with a shrug, "Guess I gotta duel him… or whatever."

"You sure about this Farran?" Viola bit her lip, "Remember, none of these Shadows are pushovers."

"Eh, why not? We just took down three of them one on one, and this one doesn't look nearly as tough."

Farran faced the Shadow and got into a stance, drawing Silverbreak. Before he could even react, a transparent barrier formed around them, blocking him off from the others. He rushed to the blockade, only to hear the sound of a gunshot ring out, as a bullet struck his back. Farran could feel shooting pain rise from his back as he stumbled, the acrid scent of gunpowder filling his nostrils. He looked up just as the Shadow was preparing another volley, and on instinct alone summoned Lady Luck. She sprinted to the Shadow, raising her rapier and forcing him to block her strike with its musket.

"Coward! You would dare violate the sanctity of a duel by having someone fight your battles?!" The Shadow spat, "You would dare send… send… Oh." The Shadow's face softened as it took in the view of Lady Luck, "Well hello, mon cheri. It is rare to find such a beauty in a place like this." With surprising strength, the Shadow used its musket to force Lady Luck's rapier from her hand. Farran tensed up, expecting him to strike, but to his surprise, the Shadow wrapped one arm around her waist, using his other hand to take hers, "Tell me, mon ami. Why would you become an acquaintance of this Villain? You should come with me instead, and together we will-"

The Shadow was cut off by a burst of light exploding from its back. Taking the distraction, Lady Luck seized her blade, and slashed at the Musketeer. Before it could recover, she coated her blade in electricity, and swung once more, dropping the Shadow to its knees.

"Place you hands on me again," Lady Luck thrust her sword up to its throat, "and you will not live long enough to regret it."

"Very well…" The Shadow chuckled to itself, "If it is a fight you wish, madam, then it is a fight you will receive."

In the blink of an eye, the Shadow drew its own rapier and lashed at Lady Luck. Its speed rivaling her own, the two became locked in a duel of their own, the sound of steel against steel, as the two were apparently equal in terms of skill. Farran knew it was only a matter of time until the Shadow managed to overtake her, as the electricity flowing through her rapier consistently drained his stamina. With no other hope of winning, he knew he needed to give his newest Persona a test run.

"Come forth…" He growled, "Minotaur!"

Lady Luck disappeared in a flash, as the usual bright blue light that preceded a summoned Persona erupted from the ground in front of him, this time far larger than usual. Slowly, a form started to rise from the center, growing far past Farran's own height. When the light finally faded, Farran's Persona, which took the form of a large, muscular humanoid with the head of a bull towered over the Shadow. He couldn't help but smirk at the sight of the fear in the Shadow's face as Minotaur roared.

"Farran?! What the hell is that?!" Yang screeched from behind him, pounding on the barrier "That better not be the Persona you got for me!"

Farran stared at her, "Why the hell not?! Yang, I thought you'd be happy with that."

"It's a  _cow_ , you idiot! In what way does that represent me? That sure as hell better not be a way of calling me fat!"

"Wha-No! Of course not! Why would I go out of my way to make a Persona to do something like that, especially when it isn't true in the first place?"

"Then what is it for?! Why the hell would your Persona for me be a cow? …Oh, I get it. Farran, you freaking perv, it's cause I have 'udders', isn't it?"

Farran's face scrunched up, his eyes squeezing shut in an attempt to keep himself calm. He could hear the sound of Ruby desperately trying not to double over laughing. He took a calming breath before he called back, "Yang, that thought had never crossed my mind in the first place. But now that you said it, I'm not gonna be able to think of anything else whenever I summon the damn thing!"

Farran heard the voice of the Shadow from behind him, "You dare turn your back on me?!"

He spun around to see the Musketeer, rapier in hand, charging at Minotaur in an attempt to plunge its blade into the Persona. It raised its blade high and swiped, only for the sword to plink harmlessly off its pectorals. The Musketeer looked up at Minotaur with a whimper as the beast grinned, flexing its arms. Minotaur taunted the Shadow by pointing down at it, then wagging its finger. Farran took a deep breath, preparing to retaliate thinking one simple word:  _Sledgehammer_. Immediately the Minotaur wound up its arms, swinging a double hammerfist into the chest of the Musketeer. The Shadow flew across the room, leaving its musket, shoes, and cap in the spot it had once stood, slamming into the wall on the opposite side of the room. Farran started to celebrate, hearing the sound of the barrier collapse behind him, but heavy fatigue set in right then, dropping him to his knees.

He could feel the cooling sensation of one of Lupa's healing spells as Viola put a hand on his shoulder, "Easy, Farran. When a Persona uses a physical skill, it drains your own strength. Using such a strong one with as much damage as you had taken was reckless."

"I know, Viola. I just didn't have much choice. Couldn't keep Lady Luck out there, cause I was running out of energy to cast spells at all. Had to end it in a hurry." With a steadying hand, she helped him to his feet, and over to the young Musketeer, "You ok?"

"Why…" The Musketeer let out a self-deprecating chuckle, "Why is a villain like you so strong…? Why am I so weak? I have to fight for justice, and protect others… That is our way."

Yang knelt down at his side, "That's your problem. You're not fighting for justice at all. Richards is the bad guy, not us."

"Lies… All lies…"

Ruby frowned, "But it's true. Tell me, have you ever been downstairs? Do you know what's at the bottom of the tower?"

The Musketeer nodded, "Of course. It's Boss Richards's factory. It's where he makes medicines of all kinds for the people in town."

"Wrong. He makes drugs, but not like that." Farran shook his head, "He uses it to make Diamond Dust, a highly addictive, and highly dangerous drug that he sells illegally."

The Shadow took in their words for a moment, then sighed, "I suppose you're right. I always wonder why I was forbidden from going to the base of the tower. I always thought something was off about all this, but I just did what the others told me. Guess I never was fighting for justice in the first place…"

"It's not too late to start. Think about it. You aren't some employee for this place, are you? And this never was a real business, was it?" Farran knelt down next to him, ethereal chain in hand, "Remember what you are, and forge a contract with me."

"I… You're right. I am a being from the collective unconscious of humanity. I come from the sea of your soul… And I will forge a contract with you. I offer you my musket in your pursuit of justice." The Musketeer reached out and shook Farran's hand, the chain snaking around his arm. Within seconds, he began glowing, and shortly after disappeared.

"Alright." Farran stood up, making his way for the door, new Persona acquired, "Let's go scope out this last floor and go home."

The others followed right behind him, slowly slumping their way up the last flight of stairs, the fatigue of the day readily setting in. The stairwell ended at a small landing, leading to a set of massive, oaken double doors, the left of which had been left open a crack. They grouped up near the door, taking a peak inside. Past the door was a mammoth room, empty save for a grandiose, golden throne set close to the far wall. Farran could barely make out the form of Shadow Richards lounging on a cushion on the throne. The walls were lined with thousands of television monitors, each displaying feeds from various security cameras, which seemed to cover every inch of the city outside. Satisfied, the group backed away from the door, and headed back down the stairs.

"Well, looks like we got everything ready for when we come here next, right?" Yang folded her hands behind her head, "Got an easy way up here, we know where he's gonna be, and this whole floor is cleared. We should be all set, right?"

Farran nodded, "Yea. All we gotta do is get the program from Fox, and find a way into his office. Then we'll be all set to take that bastard down."

"Hey, Viola." Ruby turned to their navigator, "Weren't there five Shadows on the radar for this floor?"

Viola brought a finger to her chin in thought, "Yea… Why do you ask?"

"Well, it's just I'm thinking it all over, and we only defeated four, didn't we? There were the three that we each took out, and then the one Farran took as his Persona, but there's still-"

She was cut off by an unfamiliar, yet beautiful voice from the bottom of the stairs, "And then the one Farran took as his Persona, but there's still…"

The froze, then took a few tentative steps down to the bottom of the stairs. When they rounded the corner outside the door, they saw the figure of a girl standing there. Crimson hair poured down over her slender, beautiful frame, which was garbed in a flowing white gown. Near transparent butterfly wings connected to her back flitted to and fro. She was most certainly a Shadow, and yet everything from her body language made it clear she wasn't a threat.

"Um… Can we help you?" Farran furrowed his brow as he stared at her.

"Can we help you? Can we help you?" She repeated sadly, pointing daintily at his wrist.

"Farran's wrist? What's wrong with it?" Ruby questioned, "Who are you?"

She shook her head, "Who are you? Who are you?"

"Uh… V?" Yang tapped Viola on the shoulder, "I don't think this is gonna go anywhere anytime soon. Mind giving her a little scan so we can get introductions out of the way?"

Viola nodded, and the light of her scan flooded the room, "Let's see… She's of the Lovers Arcana and her name is… Oh, I see… I'm so sorry. Her name is Echo."

"Echo! Echo!" She repeated happily after hearing her name.

"I see, so you can only repeat what people say to you?" Farran watched as she nodded, "Well, that's gonna make this more difficult. Well, when we were looking at the map earlier, we saw you tracking one of the Shadows we fought. Were you following one of the Musketeers?"

"One of the Musketeers…" Echo looked away from him, a shy smile crossing her lips as her face started to flush.

"So… Oh!" Realization crashed over him, "You're Lovers, and he's Justice. Right, I see where this is going now. So, what about my wrist? Are you telling me you want to join us?"

"Join us! Join us!" She repeated, bouncing excitedly.

Farran looked over to Viola, "This… isn't normal, is it?"

"Well, no…" She thought over the situation, "While not necessarily common, it's entirely possible that something triggered her memories of what she truly is. Perhaps… Perhaps she was around when you were talking to the Musketeer? She could have overheard you, and that made her remember."

"I see… Well then, Echo. I don't really see any point in turning you down. Welcome to the team!" Farran stuck out his hand.

"Welcome to the team!" Echo repeated, grasping his hand. Just as it had happened with the Musketeer, the chain snaked around her arm, and with a flash of light, she was gone.

Their goal for the day accomplished, and three new Personas under Farran's belt, the group returned to the room with the sigil, taking it back down to the ground floor. At they exited the building, Farran and Yang made absolutely sure that the door appeared closed, and yet they could still open it when the day arrived. Once the app had transported them back to their world, everyone agreed to meet up on Tuesday, two days before the deadline, to work out their plan to take Richards down. With everything all set, Viola returned to the Velvet Room, and Farran, Ruby, and Yang returned to the dorms. With the usual Metaverse-induced fatigue hitting much harder today, Farran immediately collapsed onto his futon once he walked in the door. As his eyelids closed, he looked forward to a long, restful sleep, but fate had other plans in mind. As soon as he lost consciousness, Farran's dreams were plagued by the last vestiges of the Headless Horseman, and the slow, steady melody of a piano.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Minotaur: A creature from Greek legend that was locked in the Labyrinth. Described as having the body of a man, and the head of a bull. Eventually killed by Theseus.
> 
> Musketeer: Based on the story "The Three Musketeers" by Alexandre Dumas. The story follows the story of four Musketeers of the Guard in Paris, Aramis, Athos, Porthos, and d'Artagnan. I kinda wanted his personality to be a bit naïve, but still have a good heart. I also wanted him to be a bit of a manwhore to do a throwback to all the Jaune Harem fics that are so prevalent. ;D
> 
> Echo: A nymph in Greek mythology that was cursed by Hera, making it so that she was only capable of saying the last few words spoken to her. In the story of Narcissus, she fell in love with him, but because she was cursed, she was unable to tell him how she felt, nor was she able to stop him as he fell in love with himself. In the story, her "Narcissus" is played by the Musketeer. As to if the flash of light that stopped him from creeping on Lady Luck was from her, well… She would never admit to it.
> 
> That's all for this one, hope you guys enjoyed, and I hope to see you in the next chapter!
> 
> Inferno :D


	13. Making Preparations

**Cat's Out Of The Bag**

_**April 19** _ _**th** _ _**:** _

All of Farran's attempts to wake up the following morning were met with complete and total rebellion by his entire body. The heavy fatigue he suffered from the Metaverse, coupled by a night of near restless sleep, left his body craving what comfort there was to be found in his futon. Eventually, he the drowsiness from his mind, knowing full well he shouldn't make a habit of sleeping in, he opened his eyes to find himself not in the dorm room, but in their storage room connected to it. Confused, he looked around, only for a piece of paper to fall from his blanket to the floor. He picked it up, realizing that someone had scrawled a note on it.

" _Morning Dummy,_

_You kept mumbling in your sleep last night, and you kept waking us all up! Yang and I pulled your futon into the storage room so that the rest of us could get some sleep, cause your dumb butt wouldn't wake up. Just wanted to let you know so you didn't freak out when you got up._

_Ruby"_

Farran groaned as he pushed himself up to his feet. While he was certainly annoyed about the change made to his sleeping arrangements, he couldn't help but feel bad about waking his teammates up. Everything about his dreams if the Headless Horseman the night before annoyed him, but he was plenty happy to know that the Persona, even if it was a part of him, was gone. He knelt down, rolling his futon up so it could be stored back in the room, then with a small grunt, picked it up and carried it under his arm.

At first glance, the dorm room seemed to be completely empty, his teammates no doubt having gone to take care of their own errands, until he made his way over to his usual sleeping spot to set his futon down, when he saw Blake. She sat on her bed, completely dressed save for her usual black vest which lay beside her. She held her hands above her head, having frozen in the middle of tying her bow around her ears.  _Wait, hold on…_  It was only after a double take that Farran realized that Blake had been usual black bow around a pair of soft-looking cat ears that he had never seen before. It took him a brief moment to shake himself from the stupor of the revelation.  _Ok, so Blake's a Faunus. I really hope that wasn't something that was supposed to be obvious, cause I completely missed that._  Shrugging it off, he tried to play it cool, crossing the room towards the bathroom.

"Morning, Blake. Sorry if I kept you guys up last night, just had a bad dream, you know?" He froze in the middle of the room, in front of the room's main door, noticing that Blake had been staring at him in fear and alarm since he walked in, "Uh… Blake? Everything ok?"

There was a pregnant pause as the two teammates stared at each other. Farran was about to move, when in the blink of an eye, Blake shot off her bed like a bullet. She tried to barrel past him towards the door, but in trying to do so, knocked them both down to the ground. She scraped and clawed, trying to get over him and to the door, but Farran grabbed ahold of her shoulders.

"Blake, what the hell?!" He tried to force himself between her and the door, "Just calm down!"

"Calm down? Calm down?! How am I supposed to calm down?! You weren't supposed to know about this!  _Nobody_ was supposed to know about this!" She snarled as Farran backed up, blocking off the doorway, "Get out of the way!"

Farran shook his head desperately, "Not until you seriously calm down, cause the second I move, Dust knows if I ever see you again. Just calm down, and talk to me. We're teammates, remember? Ozpin said-"

"I don't give a damn what Ozpin says!" She roared, "Why would I trust a Gods damned thing that man says? He is the reason Richards is here! He knows everything that bastard does around here, about the drugs and the harassment and everything else, and he doesn't do a damn thing about it! I spent all of last night trying to calm myself down, not even being able to read, just staring at my book and trying to forget and act normal, after having to watch over Velvet, cause that asshole enlisted some other students to harass her! How can I trust a damn thing that comes out of Ozpin's mouth, when he allows that to happen?!"

"If you can't trust Ozpin, then at least trust me." The forcefulness of Farran's words took the wind from Blake's sails, as she sat there staring at him, breathing heavily, "If you can't trust me, then who can you trust? I mean, you know everything about me that I know about myself. I haven't kept any secrets from any of you guys, and that's because I put complete trust in you. I'm just asking you to do the same for me."

"I… I don't know if I can." Her cat ears flattened against her head.

"Then I guess all I can ask you to do is try, Blake." He stood up, helping her to her feet and over to her bed, "Even if you can't trust me enough to tell me everything, I just need you to talk to me. Ok?"

She plopped down, resting her face in her hands, "I guess so. Dust knows you won't leave me alone until I do…"

"Exactly. Now, I'm gonna go hop in the shower for a sec. While I'm in there, just take a minute to think about what you are and aren't comfortable telling me, and we can talk when I get back. Oh, and before I go," Farran stuck out his hand, "Give me your bow."

"My bow…?" She reached up and pulled the length of ribbon that had been hanging loosely off one of her cat ears, "Why?"

"Because I don't want to have to worry about you running off the whole time I'm in there. If I have your bow, I can at least assume you won't run off and come out as a Faunus to the whole school. And if any of the others come back while I'm gone, just… bury your head under your pillows or something, claim you got a migraine. I'll vouch for you."

Blake opened her mouth to argue, but just sighed and acquiesced all the same. Farran took her bow, and with a reassuring smile, left to take his shower. It was the absolute quickest shower that he had ever taken, still not convinced that she wouldn't run off. The hot water helped alleviate some of his exhaustion, but the events of the morning had still left him feeling more tired than he was when he woke up. Clean, dried off, and dressed in fresh clothes, Farran made his way back to the dorm room, Blake's ribbon in hand. She sat right where he had left her, her brooding obvious from the look on her face. With a shrug, Farran plopped down next to her.

She groaned, "So, what exactly do you want to know?"

"Whatever you feel like telling me." Farran thought for a minute, "How about, who you are and where you came from? Out of everyone on our team, I know about you the least."

Her ear flicked in annoyance, "Fine. I am… an orphan, from Menagerie. The Faunus there, they're all really nice, and did what they could to provide for me, but with things how they are there, nobody could keep me around for long." She paused, but when she saw Farran wasn't satisfied, she continued, "I spent most of my life at Faunus rights protests, doing whatever I could to help get us the equality we deserve."

Farran furrowed his brow, "So… like the White Fang, except not being evil and blowing people up?"

"The White Fang isn't evil! They're just misunderstood!" When she realized she had raised her voice, she paused and cleared her throat, "I know there's a lot on the news about what they've done, but it hasn't always been like that. The White Fang were originally a group that organized to get Faunus rights peacefully. It wasn't until recently that they started becoming violent, after the old leader was forced out from his position."

"I see… Then, why exactly are they being violent now?"

"A lot of Faunus don't think we have a choice but to fight back. There were protests for years, and we've come a long way, but there are still human politicians and businessmen that actively try to force us all back to where we were before. Denying us rights, trying to take our jobs away, doing what they can so all the Faunus on Remnant go back to Menagerie… I might not agree with their methods, but I can understand why they fight."

He tilted his head, "Denying you rights? What, are the Faunus not allowed to vote or something?"

"No, nothing as drastic as that. While I'm sure plenty of politicians would love to try, and their blind followers would support it to no end, they have to at least try to keep up appearances. They try to be a little more subtle than that. Take Councilman Unhilo for example. Many humans consider him the one of the most progressive Council members, and yet while he was in office, everything on the Faunus rights side stagnated. That's what is considered progressive now, not actively going against us. And even then, he was the member of the Council that pushed the bill to outlaw polyamorous marriages."

"…That's a thing? For Faunus, I mean, marrying more than one person." Farran tried to hide the surprise in his voice.

Blake grimaced, "Well, in certain groups it is. We have… more alike with animals than a lot of us like to admit, especially because some Humans use them as ways to label us. Some Faunus prefer to have polyamorous relationships. And it isn't even based on what kind of Faunus you are, contrary to what a lot of humans think, it's more of a belief system. Gods know, poor Velvet and the other rabbit Faunus suffer from that the most. Many think that because of how rabbits mate, that extends to their Faunus counterparts too. It sure as hell isn't."

"So, if Councilman Unhilo was the one who got that bill passed, could that be the reason that guy assassinated him."

"No!" She took a steeling breath, "I'm sorry, I don't mean to get so upset about all this. You see, I met Mr. Datrini plenty of times growing up. He was one of the nicest people I had ever met. Yes, he was with the White Fang, but that's when they were peaceful. Once the new leader took over, he cut all ties with them. I have no idea if the police forced him to confess, it wouldn't be the first time that happened, but I know it couldn't have been him. He was there with me… the day the White Fang turned violent."

Farran nodded, finally understanding why that had been such a sore topic, "I see… I'm sorry to hear that, Blake. I just… Is there anything I can do? I don't want you thinking all of us humans are racist assholes or anything like that."

She let out a dry laugh, "I'm sorry Farran, but with the experiences I've had with your race over the years, I find it hard to trust any of you. And I'm trying so hard to, but I just can't. It's part of the reason I wear my bow. I want people to see me for who I am, not what I am…"

"Well… Honestly, I wish you wouldn't wear your bow. Now that I can see them for myself, I like your ears. And no, not from a 'Oh, look at the cute cat ears' way. To me, I just sort of see them part of what makes you Blake. Just like how my wings are a part of what makes me who I am."

Blake stared at him in disbelief, then after a moment, she started to laugh, "Farran, you hardly count! Don't take this the wrong way, but you're… weird."

"Hey! What the heck is that supposed to mean?!"

"I'm sorry, Farran." She snickered, "I guess I should explain. I was told for years that the majority of humans are neutral to Faunus at worst. There's plenty that are positive to us, but that's because they have a close connection to them. And then, there's the small, but vocal minority that are actively racist against us. Unfortunately, almost all of the humans I've interacted with fall into that last category." She smiled, "And then there's you. With no connection to anyone, let alone the Faunus. And yet on your first day, you walk right up to Cardin when you see him picking on Velvet, get in his face, and kick his teeth in. You can hardly call that normal, can't you?"

"Well, I'm glad I exceed expectations. Does that mean you can trust me, though?"

"Exceed expectations? Perhaps, in some ways. In others, not so much, Mr. Selective Amnesia." She laughed as Farran's ego instantly deflated, "As for trust… I think out of all the humans I've met, you're probably the one that comes the closest."

"Well, that's a start at least! So if you can trust one teammate, how about Ruby? I mean, the girl doesn't have a mean bone in her body, and from what Velvet tells me, the two of them are friends. Can you trust her?"

"Hey, I never said I trusted you yet!" She protested, "But Ruby… It's true that she is one of the most naturally sweet people I've ever met. And out of all her flaws, I can't say any come from a mean-spirited place. I'm honestly not sure she even knows what mean-spirited means sometimes. I suppose, out of all you guys, I could probably end up trusting her…"

"Ok, so that's two. How about Yang?"

"Seriously Farran, I said… Oh, whatever. I'll admit that I hang around Yang the most out of everyone, mostly cause she either bribes, blackmails, or 'threatens' me to do stuff with her. She's nice, she's loyal, and I do find her funny outside of her puns… Not to mention I'm fairly certain she might actually murder someone if they harassed me, even if she finds out I'm a Faunus. Yes, I suppose I can trust Yang."

"Alright, three. Weiss?"

"No." Blake answered almost as soon as Farran finished speaking, her lips curled in a stiff frown, "Not Weiss. Never Weiss."

"Why not Weiss? I know she isn't exactly the most friendly or outgoing person, but she's not a complete Ice Queen. What makes her so different from me or Yang or Ruby?"

Blake shook her head, "Farran, you just don't understand. Faunus relationships with the Schnee Dust Company have never been good. Ever. Jacques Schnee is a putrid man, and he makes Richards seem like Ruby. He moves his refineries into slums and other densely Faunus populated areas, and uses them for what pretty much is slave labor. Terrible wages, horrible working conditions, accidents constantly covered up… It only gets worse from there, and the conditions in his mines are even worse than that. The man is an unabashed racist, and actively campaigns against pro-Faunus legislation, and nobody can do or say a damn thing about it, because the SDC is so important in the dust trade."

Farran sat there and let her say her piece, mulling over her words. When she finally finished, he waited a beat, then turned to her, "So, I can understand why you don't like the SDC, and I can understand why you don't like Jacques. That much is abundantly clear, and I already don't like the man from what you've had to say. The one thing I don't understand, and I know this is gonna piss you off, is what exactly does any of that have to do with Weiss?"

"What do you mean?!" She nearly leapt from her bed, "It has everything to do with Weiss! She is Jacques Schnee's daughter, Farran!"

"Yes, and?" He raised an eyebrow, "I know who her family is, but more importantly, I know who  _Weiss_ is. Let me tell you a bit about her. Yes, she has her cold, stern exterior. Yes, she's a bit demanding at times. And yes, I know she likes to be in control. But she really is a kind person. The day I got my brace, while the two of us and Ruby were going into town to get stuff to make cookies, I was feeling down about my knee. She took the time to sit down by me and remind me that, 'Hey, at least you can still walk. As much as it sucks, you need to look at that blessing.' I know that her father is an asshole, but more importantly,  _she_ knows he's an asshole! The whole reason Weiss and I have been hanging out lately is because she wants to try new things and get away from her father's influence. Like, take a look at this." Farran flipped his scroll, flicking through the apps until he got to the picture gallery. Once he opened it, the picture that was displayed showed Ruby and Weiss, standing in the kitchenette. Both were covered in cookie dough and a thick layer of flour. Farran had to suppress a laugh at the look of Weiss's shocked face, staring down at the bag of flour she had just dropped. He looked back to Blake with a smile, "Now tell me, I have a feeling that if what you say is true, any Faunus would pay all they were worth for a pic like this. And yet, here I am with it, and do you know why? Because Weiss is doing her best to be Weiss, not Jacques Schnee's daughter. I don't mean to be a dick, I really don't, but Blake, it sounds to me that  _you_  are judging her for what she is, not who she is."

Blake opened her mouth, wanting to argue, but she ended up just hanging her head, her ears drooping, "I… I suppose you're right. I must seem like a huge hypocrite right now."

"Eh, not necessarily." Farran leaned back on her bed, "I think you've just been through a lot of shit as far as Humans are involved, and with just how prevalent Richards is, and with what he does to the Faunus on campus, it just makes things worse."

After a brief pause, she leaned back next to him with a devilish smile, "You know, Yang might be right. Maybe I should start calling you 'Hero' now."

"Please don't." Farran grimaced, "I'm really not anything special, or anything like that, and the word 'hero' should be saved for people that are." He turned over to face her, "So… Now that I know you're a Faunus, and you think you can trust us, except for maybe Weiss quite yet, what do you plan on doing? Keep wearing the bow?"

Her lips curled into a curt frown, "I… don't want you to get the wrong idea, but yeah. I'm going to keep wearing it. And if you wouldn't mind keeping it a secret, I'd really appreciate it. I want to trust you guys, all of you, I really do, but right now it's just something I'm not comfortable with. Not to mention, you're right about Richards, and I don't want him coming after us…"

"Hey, no worries. I don't plan on saying anything until you give me the go ahead." Farran held the ribbon out for her, "Just remember, no matter what, you can trust me. If you ever need anyone to talk to, about anything, I'm here, and I'll listen to everything you have to say. Deal?"

She stared at the ribbon for a second, and then tentatively reached out and took it with a smile, "Deal."

Farran sat and watched as she delicately wrapped the ribbon around her ears, slowly but surely forming the shape of her usual bow. He had to admit, it was an almost impeccable disguise. When she kept her ears completely still, it was near impossible to notice that she was using it to conceal them. Deep down, Farran wished she wouldn't keep wearing the bow, he wanted her to be able to feel comfortable being who she was, and not to mention keeping her ears completely still couldn't feel great, but he understood her reasoning. Farran wasn't about to betray the amount of trust he had managed to build with her today, and at their same time, he realized that once they had taken Richards down, perhaps she would be more comfortable talking to the others about who she is. In the midst of that revelation, Farran felt the world stop around him, and the voice in his mind started to boom once more.

"I am thou, thou art I…

Thou hast acquired a new vow.

It shall become a Beacon in the darkness

to lead you down the path to your own justice.

With the birth of the Hermit Persona,

You have obtained unforeseen power

that will allow you to remake your Fate anew."

Once time started up again, Blake finished tying her bow into its usual, completed state. The two of them sat on her bed until the late afternoon, just talking about nothing in particular. The more they talked, the more Farran noticed Blake start to loosen up, her face and arms becoming much less tense. He felt satisfied that, for perhaps the first time since she had come to Beacon, he had given Blake someone she felt comfortable confiding in.

* * *

**Café Bombón**

_**April 20** _ _**th** _ _**:** _

Farran walked down the sidewalk in the city of Vale, checking the message app on his scroll for the twelfth time in the last ten minutes. Early that morning, Velvet had sent him a message, asking him to go to a certain address in town for the photo shoot that he had promised to help her and Coco with. It was his first time going through Vale on his own, and he was desperately trying not to get lost on the way there. Of course, he could have asked one of his teammates to accompany him, however the idea of explaining to any of them that he had agreed to be a male model, even for just a friend's project, was not something he ever planned on doing. After about half an hour of wandering through the city, he finally found the place: an apartment building in the middle of town. Relieved that he wasn't anywhere near Park Street, an area he had no desire to go back to any time soon, he approached the door, and thumped the button for the apartment number Velvet had listed. After a minute, the speaker buzzed, and he could hear Coco's voice blare out.

"Afternoon, hun! Sorry about that, we were just finishing up getting ready." The main door clicked as she was talking, "Door should be open, so come on in!"

"Thanks Coco! I'll be up in a sec." he turned and made his way through the door, heading right for the elevator.

When the elevator finally opened for him, Farran stepped inside and checked the message one last time. The apartment number was 611, prompting Farran to thumb the button for the sixth floor, and within seconds, he was walking down the hall and into the apartment. Despite the overall class exuded by the building, he was surprised to find the entryway of the apartment itself was quite plain. Virtually no furniture or decorations were in sight, just a small end table with a bowl for keys standing guard next to the door. Not long after he shut the door, he could hear footsteps coming from around the corner, and soon after Velvet peaked her head out.

"Afternoon, Farran!" She gave him a small wave, "Coco and I are back here. Oh, and feel free to keep your shoes on, you're not gonna make the place any messier than we have."

The entryway split off into a "T", and Farran followed Velvet off to the right. She led him into a rather spacious, well lit studio, the floor of which was covered with a hodgepodge of various art supplies. Along the far right wall sat two metal frames, each supporting walls of thick, black curtains, which Farran guessed were supposed to be their "changing rooms", as he could see a clothing line inside one of them, jam-packed with a number of costumes. The far left wall, meanwhile was currently being carefully covered with a large green screen by Fox and Coco, who were delicately pulling it along a metal rigging that hung from the ceiling. Once it was in place, Coco took a deep breath and saw Farran standing in the doorway.

"There's my co-star!" She beamed as she walked over to him, hooking her arm around his, "Like what you see? It's not much of a set-up, but we make it work. It helps that I have such an amazing photographer and stage crew!"

Fox leaned against the wall with a tired smile, "Just remember, you owe us lunch! A world class stage crew doesn't work for free, you know?"

"Always, dear. Always." She gave him a wink, "Same place as always?"

"You know it! Just gotta save some for Yatsu, or he'll be pissed."

"Well, it's his fault for signing up to be a tutor for Oobleck's class! He knew our shoot schedule is erratic, there's nothing we can do about it."

"I gotta say, Coco. When you asked me to help out, I wasn't expecting all this!" Farran gestured around the room, "How can you afford all this?"

"That's the perks of being a Huntress, hun." She tittered, "I may not be in the business exclusively for the Lien, I know plenty that are and they're all horrible, but I sure as hell won't turn it down when offered. And when you're part of the best damn team in your year, you're going to be taking in plenty."

"It helps that her family was loaded to start with!" Fox called from behind them.

"Quiet you!" She shot him a stern glare, "I will admit, being the daughter of the owner of one of Remnant's premier beauty boutiques helped, but my mother only paid for the apartment in a misguided attempt to keep me separate from my team. The rigging, props, costumes, and everything else came from my own pocket, thank you very much."

"But… Why all this?" Farran shook his head in a daze, "If you're training to be a Huntress, and you're so good at it, why go so far to do all this?"

"Very simple, Farran." She slid her sunglasses off, hooking them to the collar of her shirt. She smiled at him sincerely, "Being a Huntress is my ideal career. I never wanted to do anything else as a job growing up but this, and I am damn good at it. At the same time, my passion, my love, my heart, they all are for art and modeling. As it turns out, with how everything works in our field, I can do both. I can have my ideal career, and follow my passion for supplementary income. It's the best of both worlds!"

Velvet set down a metal tripod in front of the green screen and looked over to them, "Ok, Coco! Everything's all set except for my camera, why don't you two go get changed?"

"Can do, Honey Bun!" She snickered as Velvet busied herself with her camera, trying to hide her obvious blush caused by Coco's pet name, "Well then, you ready for your big debut, hun?"

"Yea, just…" Farran took a quick glance around the room, "What exactly am I supposed to be doing again?"

Coco clicked her tongue, "Come now, we went over this when I took your measurements! Were you not paying attention?"

"Go easy on him, Coco." Fox prodded her shoulder, "With how you two talk about your shoots, I'd be surprised if the poor kid understood three words of what you were telling him. Hell, I've been helping you with these shoots for over a year now, and I still have trouble sometimes."

Farran raised his eyebrows, "You've been doing this for that long?"

"Well, yes. As I said, this is my passion after all, and I've been lucky enough to have the best crew I could ask for. Had to hire an outside photographer last year, though. Then our precious little Bun fell right into our laps, and she's been more than I could ever dream of!" She leered towards the blushing girl, "It's a shame she won't model with me. I have the perfect shoot lined up in my mind, and the lingerie I'm picturing for her would be just adorable-"

"C-C-Coco!" Velvet, her face and ears nearly completely red, stamped her foot, "If you have time to tease me, you have time to get changed!"

"Fine, fine, dear. It's all in good fun." She turned back to Farran, "In any case, since you didn't pick up on it last time, I'll explain the shoot again. You see, the average person views Huntsmen and Huntresses very highly, almost like a cross between a celebrity and a superhero. I want to try to capture the image that they see when they think of a Huntsman. Not something over the top, or anything super 'The Huntsmen are great! Support your local Academy', I sure as hell am not going to use my art or vision for some kind of ad campaign."

"Alright, so what do you have in mind?"

"You see, I am picturing a variety of scenes where an average citizen is attacked by a creature of Grimm, and is then saved by their Guardian Angel, a Huntsman. The part of the beautiful, stunning, all-around glamorous damsel in distress will, of course, be played by me." She posed dramatically, her hand resting on her forehead, "And the part of the Huntsman will be played by none other than Beacon's resident Guardian Angel, you. And, as I have heard from my lovely photographer, it turns out that our resident Guardian Angel has wings of his own. Am I correct?"

Farran sighed and activated his semblance, spreading his wings out, "This what you're looking for?"

Coco flocked to his wings, examining them closely and muttering to herself. After a minute, she looked over to Velvet, "You were right about the color scheme for the shoot, Velvet. They really are silver! Hey, do you want to have his whole wingspan in the shot, or is cutting them off a bit fine. They're a bit longer than I expected."

"It's your call, luv." Velvet shrugged, still working on her camera, getting it just perfect, "You know how I'm always partial to getting everything in the shot, but it's not always the right call. Just let me know and I can move back a bit to get it all."

Coco hummed for a second, "Move it back a bit. We can get his full wingspan in a couple of shots, and if we need to, we cam just move it back up closer."

"On it. Now go get changed already!" She absentmindedly waved towards the curtains.

"My, my. Someone certainly gets her confidence up when she's taking pictures." Coco steered Farran over to the curtains, "Alright, hun! Everything should be all set for you in there. Take your time, and if you need any help with your armor pieces, just let us know."

Farran nodded and made his way into his makeshift dressing room. Resigned to his fate, he took one last look at the costume hanging from the line, and started to get changed. He had to admit that, whichever member of Team CFVY had made them, the costume pieces were top notch. After a few minutes, he emerged dressed in an armored tunic that came down to his knees, a plastic breastplate that, even now, he wasn't sure how it wasn't really metal, and had the Beacon Academy symbol subtly emblazoned on the chest, and a scarlet cape that reminded him somewhat of Ruby's. He was thankful that Velvet was merciful and allowed him to wear a pair of cotton pants under his tunic, as Coco had originally insisted his legs be bare. Coco, meanwhile, emerged wearing a relatively normal, modest outfit, if a bit torn and tattered in places that didn't show off too much skin, and yet somehow she made it beyond gorgeous. With their costumes all set, and Farran's jaw picked up off the floor, the group got to work.

The shoot lasted all afternoon, and well into the evening with all the posing and retakes that needed to be done. Coco played the role of damsel in distress well, effectively capturing true fear and panic in her expressions, as she was attacked by the "Grimm". The Grimm, of course, were played by Fox, as Velvet stated they would be editing them in later, as any realistic costumes were far out of their budget. After a few shots of Coco being attacked, they had Farran enter the scene, "floating" above her on a box that matched the green screen. What followed were a variety of scenes of him attacking and repelling the Grimm, effectively saving Coco.

Just when he thought they were finished, however, Coco directed him back to the dressing room. "That was just the first set!" She stated, "Now, you get to be the one in distress. Can't have people thinking we're forcing stereotypes, now can we? My career as an artist would be finished!"

With that, Farran returned to his dressing room, changing shortly thereafter into a simple farmhand's outfit. Coco, when she emerged, came out in a beautiful set of armor, that was unmistakably supposed to resemble that of a stereotypical Huntress. Even so, it hit all the notes of one of her usual outfits, conforming perfectly to her curves, and showing off a good, if still modest, amount of skin. Donned in their new costumes, Velvet ran them through the gauntlet once more. The second set managed to take even longer than the first, as Farran's acting and expressions weren't considered up to par for Coco or Velvet, demanding multiple retakes. Not too long after the clock struck seven, Velvet closely inspected the last few photos she had taken, and with a satisfied smile, gave them the all clear to get changed. When Farran finally reemerged in his usual attire, Coco had already changed, albeit into an outfit more simple than usual, just a tank top and shorts, and was on her scroll ordering some Mistrali food, disappearing shortly into the other room.

Farran gave Fox and Velvet a small wave, "Well, if that's all you guys need me for, I'm gonna get going."

Velvet's ears perked up, "You're leaving? Aren't you going to stay for dinner?"

"I mean, I didn't know I was invited. Otherwise, I would have brought some cash to help pay for it."

"Bah, don't worry about it." Fox waved him off, "Coco wouldn't let you, even if you tried. Trust me, it doesn't end well. She always buys for us whenever we do these shoots. Just kick back and relax."

Coco popped back into the room, a white towel draped around her neck, "Alright, delivery guy should be here in a little bit. Velvet, would you be a dear? I normally would, but…"

"Don't worry about it, Coco. I'll go wait for them." Velvet moved past her towards the door, "Tip money where it normally is?"

"You know it, hun." Coco beamed as Velvet exited the room, but once the door closed behind her, she flumped to the ground, exhausted, "Gods, I love that woman, but she is a slave driver when she steps behind a camera."

"That does get me thinking though, Coco." Fox snickered, "You can't be seen by the delivery guy like that, and yet you're comfortable with some freshman? Never thought I'd see the day. Took you three months before you let any of us see you in anything less than your full getup."

"Oh, hush." Coco groaned, "I'm not the girl I was back then, and besides, the kid rooms with four girls. I could be running around in less than this and it wouldn't be anything he won't be seeing anyways. As much as I like looking good normally, after a long shoot, I just want to be comfortable."

"Yea, yea." He pulled a chair over from the back of the room, plopping down on it next to her, "So, I take it you two are gonna be here all night shopping those pics then? You do remember all of this is just for a side project, so you don't have an actual deadline, right?"

"I know,  _Mom_. You don't need to worry about us. Velvet and I are big girls, we can take care of ourselves. I know you're worried Fox, but nobody can get in here to hurt us!"

"That's not what I'm worried about, and you know it." Fox stared at her, sternly.

"You know I'm not like that, Fox…" Coco grumbled, "I wouldn't do anything to hurt her. Especially not after…"

Fox's face grew dark, "Yea, I know. Sorry…"

Farran looked back and forth between them, desperate to change the topic, "Uh… Well, Coco, I gotta admit, I had a lot of fun today. Sorry about all the retakes."

"Hmm? Oh, that?" Her face brightened as she looked at him, "Don't worry about it, hun. It's all part of the job. And like I told you, Velvet is one of the best at what she does, part of the reason for that is that she demands the best when she has a camera in her hands. But I'm glad you had fun all the same, most guys at Beacon wouldn't even think about doing something like this. Not enough adrenaline or macho-ness, you know?"

"Yea, I kinda figured that much out from the combat practice group I joined. Still, while I like the buzz of adrenaline, I get enough while flying. Nothing wrong with doing something like this every now and again. If you ever need me for any more shoots, just let me know."

Coco's eyes spread wide and started to sparkle, "Seriously? You'll come back? I haven't even had to tempt you with food yet!"

He shrugged, "Yea, why not? Like I said, it was fun."

Coco leapt to her feet, taking Farran's hand in hers, "Oh, thank you hun! I promise, you won't regret this."

Farran was surprised to see a second year student so excited for his help, but at the same time, he was happy that he was able to help her out with her passion in life. When Coco finally let go of his hands, he felt time stop around him, and heard the familiar voice in his mind.

"I am thou, thou art I…

Thou hast acquired a new vow.

It shall become a Beacon in the darkness

to lead you down the path to your own justice.

With the birth of the Moon Persona,

You have obtained unforeseen power

that will allow you to remake your Fate anew."

"Oh, boy. Now you've done it." Fox smirked, "Now that she knows you'll do this all for free, she thinks she's got you wrapped around her finger. You're never gonna get rid of her now."

"Will you stop picking on me for five seconds?! And you tell  _me_ to behave." She huffed, "Stop trying to scare the kid off. I'm lucky Velvet didn't manage to do it with all those retakes today."

"Well excuse me for taking pride in my photography!" Velvet's voice chided from the doorway. She came around the corner carrying bunch of bags, "And you two haven't even set the table up yet. I swear, if you want to have to find another photographer, you're well on your way."

Fox shook his head in disbelief as he got up, setting up a folding table that had been stored off to the side, "I swear, Vel. Put you behind a camera for a few hours, and it's like you turn into a whole different Faunus for the rest of the night."

Once Velvet set the bags of food down, Coco rushed to her with an evil smirk, "Don't worry about our little Bun Bun, Fox." She wrapped her arms around Velvet's waist, "One night with me, and the prissy little princess here will be her old self soon."

"Agh! C-Coco, please no!" Velvet squirmed, trying to get free from her captor's grasp, "I'm sorry about the retakes! I just wanted to make sure all your pictures were perfect…"

"Hmm… Apology not accepted."

Coco preceded to start tickling Velvet, who in turn started flailing around, falling to the ground. She sped from the room, with Coco right on her heels in hot pursuit. Farran looked on after them, "Those two are dating… right?"

"Dating? Hardly." Fox let out a bark of laughter as he finished setting the table, "That's just Coco. She doesn't understand boundaries. Lucky for her, Velvet actually enjoys her antics most of the time, even as shy as the poor girl is. Still doesn't help Coco any…"

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, nothing. By the way…" Fox slid a small, plastic piece across the table, "I finished that program earlier today. The one to help you take down Richards."

"Oh!" Farran snatched the drive up, "Thanks Fox. What do I need to do?"

"Just plug it into the main computer in his office, the program will do the rest. All you need to do is wait until the computer has downloaded the whole file, then take the drive and get the hell out of there. And Farran…" Fox stared right at him with his empty white eyes, "I don't care how you do it, but you better get rid of that asshole. Not just for you, and not just for Velvet. For the rest of us at Beacon too. That guy is a plague to our school, and he needs to be taken down."

"Don't worry, Fox." Farran pocketed the drive, "I will. No matter what."

Shortly after, Velvet and Coco came back into the room, both out of breath. The group sat down and ate their dinner while making small talk. Farran was impressed by just how good the food was, and made sure to take down the name of the restaurant for the next time Team RWBY decided to order out. After dinner, Coco and Velvet headed to the other main room of the apartment, a moderately sized bedroom furnished only with two cots, a plush recliner, and a work desk with two chairs and a computer. Velvet hooked up her camera, and the two started delving into their finishing touches on the pictures. Farran bade them and Fox, who said he would wait up with them for a while longer before returning to Beacon, farewell. On his way back to the dorms, Farran felt the drive with Fox's program sitting in his pocket, and couldn't help but smile knowing he had been handed one of the final nails in the coffin of Richards's career at Beacon.

* * *

**I Can't Be A Better Leader Than You!**

_**April 21** _ _**st** _ _**:** _

Ruby buzzed around Farran as the two navigated the corridors of the training halls. She had disappeared early in the morning, before Farran had even woken up, only to reappear hours later, claiming that she had reserved one of the training halls for the two of them and Yang for a "mandatory training session". Farran, who had yet to even get dressed, found himself suddenly being rushed through his usual morning routine by his tiny leader, and once he was well enough prepared to train, she dragged him right out of the dorms. Yang, who always took a long time getting ready, promised to meet them there. His yawn reverberated off the stone walls of the corridor as he looked down at the pleasantly smiling Ruby, who was currently dragging him by the wrist.

"Alright, I'll bite." He sighed, "Why are we doing this, and so early in the morning?"

"Why do you think?" She beamed up at him causing Farran to grumble about how she shouldn't have so much energy in the morning, "The deadline is in three days, right? Which means that we need to take care of Richards's Shadow the day after tomorrow. This is the last chance we're going to have to get some practice between the three of us before then. Who knows what it's gonna throw at us when it transforms? We need to be ready for anything."

"That still doesn't answer my question about why we're doing all this so early…" He let out another yawn.

"Oh please, don't be such an old man!" She pouted.

"Old? I'm only three years older than you!" He deadpanned.

"Two. Two years older than me." She folded her arms, "Don't forget, my birthday's next month! So you four can stop treating me like a little kid."

Farran tussled her hair, "You're still gonna be the youngest person on the team. Shortest too."

"That's not true at all!" She stamped her foot, "Weiss is the shortest! Just cause she wears high heels all the time doesn't count-"

Ruby was cut off by the sound of soft sobbing echoing from further down the hallway. The two looked at each other, and made a silent agreement to go check it out. Quietly, they snuck their way down the hall, past the training arenas and into the administration area of the building, where one single office stood open, the light from inside flooding out into the otherwise dark hall. Farran sidled up to the door and peaked around, greeted by a pitiful sight. Professor Peach, sat at a desk in the room with her back to the door, crying into her own arms. Her hair which was typically pulled back into a tight bun now hung loose, cascading down around her shoulders. Beside her stood Professor Goodwitch, also with her back to the door, nervously patting Professor Peach's shoulder and talking to her in a soft, soothing voice.

"It's going to be ok, Peachy. I promise you, everything is going to be ok." She cooed to the younger teacher, "No matter what, I won't let him do anything to you."

"No it isn't, Glyn. You know it won't. Why does that horrible bastard still have a job here?!" She sniffled, "You know he's going to do everything he can to get my fired, and there's nothing I can do about it! Ozpin will do whatever he says… This is my dream job, Glynda!"

"Come now, you really don't think that will happen, do you? You know Richards is full of nothing but hot air. You are an asset to this Academy, and one of the best Dust researchers  _and_  weapons developers on Remnant. There is no way you're going anywhere, no matter what he says."

"That's a lie, and you know it. You heard what he said… Even if it's bullshit, Ozpin listens to him over anyone else!" She slammed a fist down on her desk, "Those access panels are perfect, I don't give a damn what he says! Yes, they will short-circuit when exposed to high heat, but they neutralize any kind of fire dust that's put near them! The only way anyone could get them to break is if they brought a Dust damned flamethrower into the building!"

"I know, Peachy. I know. Just calm down. Everything is going to be ok." She rubbed Professor Peach's back delicately, "Now, I'm going to go grab the two of us some tea, that should help you feel better. Will you be ok until I get back?"

Peach nodded her head, and Goodwitch started to make her way to the door. In a panic, Farran and Ruby sped away as quietly as they could, trying to put as much distance between themselves and the office as possible. Before they could get too far, Goodwitch stepped out into the hall, and closed the door softly behind her.

"Farran Park and Ruby Rose." She called after them, causing them to freeze mid-stride, "Pray tell, what are you doing here? The administration wing is closed until classes resume, after all. There is no reason for students to be here."

They turned around, and Farran met her stern gaze with a sheepish laugh, "Well, you know… Just reserved a training hall for today, and took a wrong turn."

"Is that so? Then tell me, why exactly were the two of you eavesdropping on my conversation with Professor Peach?" She sighed at their shocked, guilty expressions, "Honestly. Never underestimate the observational abilities of a fully trained Huntress."

Ruby tapped the ends of her index fingers together, "We're sorry, Professor. We just heard someone crying when we were on our way to practice, and we wanted to make sure everything is ok. We didn't mean to eavesdrop."

"I had a feeling it might have been something like that… Rest assured, everything is alright. Professor Peach is just a little emotional after a stressful day."

"What did that bastard do to her?" Farran's face turned dark, "Richards. We may not have been trying to eavesdrop, but we still heard his name. What did he do now?"

Goodwitch's lips curled into a curt frown, "Mister Park, you know I can't go around gossiping to students. Not just as a professor, but as the acting Headmaster of Beacon Academy."

"But what if I'm not a student? What then? I am still getting expelled when Ozpin comes back, aren't I?" He raised an eyebrow.

She hesitated, "The… paperwork has been filed for your expulsion, yes. Unfortunately, even as acting Headmaster, I do not have the authority to approve or deny it. It'll have to wait until Ozpin comes back." She shook her head, "But that's beside the point. I can't discuss such matters with you, regardless of your current standing!"

"Then how about for your mental health, Glynda." Farran folded his arms, trying not to smirk at her shock at him calling her by name, "Really, you look like you're completely drained yourself, to the point where I can tell you want to be pissed, but you're too tired. So come on."

Goodwitch glared at him, but sighed in defeat when he didn't waver, "Damn that bastard. He got in a screaming match with Peach earlier today over the security panel that grants access to his office. He couldn't just have a normal sensor that scans his scroll, or a regular lock and key like the rest of us, no. He had her design a state-of-the-art fingerprint and eye scanner just to unlock his Gods damned door. But the issue is, after she went through all the trouble of designing, building, and installing the damn thing, is that he just realized that it will short circuit when exposed to high heat…" She laughed bitterly, "As if that would ever be a problem! As she said, she built it to counteract any kind of fire dust that would be applied to it! The only way for anyone to get past it is if they brought in a welding torch, or decided to burn the whole building down. And now he's trying to get the poor girl fired. As if she hasn't had enough to deal with in life…" She took a deep breath, "I'm sorry I got so worked up. Thank you, Farran. I've been holding that in all morning."

Farran shrugged, "No problem. It's why I asked. I know you have to keep a professional appearance, but come on. Anyways, is everything going to be ok?"

She nodded, "Everything will be fine. I will do everything in my power to stop her from getting fired, no matter what. I will do the same for your expulsion as well, Mister Park. You've done nothing to warrant it. Now, you best be off. It wouldn't do to have anyone else find you here, and I really must return to Professor Peach."

"Will do. Let's go, Ruby." With a satisfied smile, Farran turned on his heel and walked away with Ruby in tow. He gave Goodwitch one last wave as they left, "Thanks again for your help,  _Glyn_."

He heard an irate Goodwitch call after them, "You know, Mister Park, there was a fairy tale my parents told me as a child. It was said Witches would cut the tongues from the mouths of children that misbehave. Just something to remember the next time you address me by my first name."

Farran tried to keep his shiver non-noticeable as they walked along, heading back out of the administration wing. The two of them stayed silent until they were far out of Goodwitch's earshot, when Ruby finally spoke up.

"I don't know why you look so happy." She muttered, "That dumb jerk made Professor Peach really upset."

"I know he did. That's why I'm so happy." He smiled down at her stunned face, "It sucks, it really does, but at the same time, that asshole just gave us the keys to his office, and he doesn't even know it!"

Ruby tilted her head, "What do you mean? Are you talking about that scanner thing Professor Peach made for him?"

"Exactly. Goodwitch said that the scanner short circuits when it's exposed to heat, right? Which means, even if fire dust doesn't work, we still have a way in. After all, don't we know someone who can create a ton of heat naturally?"

"HEY!" Yang called to them as they drew near to their destination. She was leaning outside the door to their reserved arena, impatiently tapping her foot, "Where have you two been? I've been waiting here forever!" She yawned, "If you were gonna be late, you should've said something."

Farran gave her an apologetic wave, "Sorry, had to make an important detour."

"You ready to go?" Ruby smiled up at her sister.

"Heh. Always." Yang punched her open palm.

They entered the arena, the heavy wooden door slamming behind them. This particular arena was far different than the usual ones that were typically used in combat training and classes. Located far in the back of the training halls, it was shaped far more like a large, concrete room rather than an amphitheater circling the sunken hole where combat would take place. A large, wrought iron gate covered most of the far wall, with a giant holo-screen above it. Ruby pulled out her scroll and flipped it open, and after a few seconds of fiddling with it, the pictures of the three of them, as well as their current level of aura appeared on the giant screen. The trio started to stretch, getting their bodies ready for their practice.

"So…" Yang grunted, "What exactly are we doing today?"

"The Gauntlet." Ruby answered simply, focusing on stretching her arms, "Figured that we don't know what this Shadow will throw at us, so we might as well go for a variety of things. Can't hurt, right? Even if we can't use our Personas here, at the very least, it gives us more experience fighting together."

"And what exactly is 'The Gauntlet'?" Farran knelt down to slide his knee brace on, "Haven't heard of it before."

"Oh right! I forgot that we haven't done it since you joined us. Ok, so Beacon has a ton of mechs that can mimic the look, feel, and movements of Grimm, right? Easier to build and fix mechs than it is capturing Grimm to use for practices, and with the mechs you can call them off in the event of an accident. Anyways, they're stored back there behind the gate." Ruby pointed at the gate in front of them, "So, basically, what's going to happen is we'll be taking on waves of different 'Grimm'. They'll keep coming, one wave after another, until we beat all the waves, or one of our aura falls into the red. It's a great way to experience a little of everything, you know? Just let me know when you guys are ready."

Once they finished stretching, the three got into their combat positions with their weapons drawn. Ruby waited for a nod from both Farran and Yang, and when she did, she pressed a button on her scroll. The gate started slowly swinging open, an earsplitting, metallic screech reverberating throughout the arena until it finally stopped moving. Farran tightened his grip around Silverbreak's hilt as he heard the sound of metal footfalls pounding against pavement. After a few second, a wave of five Boarbatusk mechs came charging through the opened gate, and the Gauntlet was underway.

Clearing through each wave of mechs proved to be a grueling task, and to the credit of whoever designed them, they didn't just look like real Grimm, they hit like real Grimm too. Still, after shaking off the rust a bit, Yang, Ruby, and Farran all started to gel as a team. They were able to seamlessly transition whenever a switch was required, allowing any of the three to drop back and regroup any time their aura started to drop too low. The final wave they faced consisted of a single mech, an Ursa that stood much taller than its real live counterparts. It hit hard, constantly forcing the team back on their heels, and its thick plates of bone that served as its armor caused many of their attacks to harmlessly plink off its side. After a hard fought battle, the team finally managed to defeat their foe after Ruby called the three together and orchestrated a combo of team attacks. When Ruby called "Cardinal", the code for her and Farran, both charged the Ursa, executing a high-low attack where Ruby attacked its legs, and Farran its head, knocking it off balance. She followed it up by calling "Strawberry Sunrise", the code for her and Yang, in which Yang leapt onto Crescent Rose's blade, allowing Ruby to fling her skyward, catching the Ursa with a devastating uppercut. Finally, Ruby called "Phoenix", the sign for Farran and Yang, in which Farran caught Yang in midair, spun, and launched the now Semblance empowered girl down to deliver one final strike, turning what once was a mech into nothing more than scrap metal. Their run through the Gauntlet complete, the trio celebrated and grabbed a seat outside the arena, refreshing themselves with some hard earned water.

"That… was awesome!" Farran panted after draining half his bottle of water in one go.

"Hell yeah it was!" Yang slugged him on the shoulder, "There's nothing that asshole can throw at us that can stop us!"

"Ok, don't hit me. But seriously, nothing can stop us if you can turn into a bomb like that! Why didn't you say you could do that sooner?"

"It never came up before." She shrugged. After a brief paused, she did a double take over at Ruby, "Hey Rubes, you ok?"

Farran looked over to the girl on his left, who was currently staring glumly at her shoes, "What's the matter, Ruby?"

"It's nothing…" She shrunk under their gazes, "You're gonna think it's stupid anyways…"

Farran stared at her for a moment, concerned, then put his hand softly on her back, "Hey, just give us a chance, Ruby."

Yang nodded, "I know it's hard, but take your time. I promise, neither of us will think it's stupid."

Ruby nodded, and after a moment, she looked up at them, "Are you guys… Are you sure I should be the leader?"

Both of them stared at her until Yang slowly responded, "W-What do you mean, Ruby? Of course we do!"

"But why? Why should I be the leader?" She twiddled her thumbs, "You're super strong, Yang. I mean, you tore that mech apart like it was paper. And Farran, can use all those different Personas. And even when we bring in Weiss and Blake, Weiss is super smart and a great leader, and Blake is always super calm under pressure. I just… I don't know why I should be the leader compared to any of you."

The three of them sat in silence for quite some time, unsure of what to say after that. She did make a lot of good points. She wasn't as versatile as Farran, as strong as Yang, she didn't have Weiss's natural ability, nor did she have Blake's poise. Even so, Farran knew she should be the leader. Unfortunately, for the first time, he was unable to find the right words to comfort her. He thought hard about it, and then out of the depths of his mind, he thought of the battles he had fought with her in the Metaverse, as well as the familiar chirping of Charon.

"No…" Farran muttered, "Ruby, you're our leader, and that's final."

She looked at him, startled, "Wha- But why?! Farran, I just said-"

"I know what you said, and even if you made some good points on our side, you left out something major." He leaned back against the wall with a wink, "You forgot your own good points. Like, for example, the fact that you're a damned tactical genius in my opinion."

"I wouldn't go that far…"

"Farran's right, Rubes." Yang shot her a thumbs up, "Like, just now. Who's the one who was barking orders all through the Gauntlet? The whole time, you were keeping track of our aura, watching the enemies position, and telling us where to go, all while attacking on your own. Not to mention, you came up with those team attacks that took down the Ursa. Neither of us may be stupid, but you are so far ahead of me and Farran when doing all this planning that it's not even funny. Hell, doing this practice was your idea in the first place, and I feel much more ready to take that asshole down!"

Farran nodded, "And what about all the fights so far in the Metaverse? You were calling orders against the Charon, Salamander, the Shiisa, the Musketeers… Honestly, I have no idea how you do it."

After a minute of uncomfortable silence, Ruby started to laugh softly, "Thank you, guys. I'm sorry. It's just that sometimes when the three of us are in combat, I start to doubt myself, and think that maybe I'm not cut out for all this."

"That's what we're here for, little sis." Yang got up and tussled her hair, "No matter what, we're a team, and it's like this guy keeps saying, we need to trust each other, right?" Yang directed her thumb at Farran. She hesitated for a moment, but then smiled, "So seriously, whenever you doubt yourself, come to one of us, and that includes Blake and Weiss too."

"But Weiss will just call me a dolt, and start yelling at me about how I should be more confident." Ruby pouted.

"Oh come on, give Weiss some credit." Farran snickered, "She knows more insults than just dolt, you know."

The three of them laughed, and Yang pulled them both to their feet, "Now come on. I dunno about you, but after this, our shower is calling my name."

"Not if I get there first!" Ruby grinned devilishly, and in a split second, took off running, leaving a trail of rose petals in her wake.

Farran and Yang looked at each other, realizing what happened, and chased right after her, Yang calling after her sister the whole way. Farran couldn't help but laugh as he watched Yang from behind, desperately trying in vain to get to the shower before her sister. He knew in his heart that his bond with Ruby had grown stronger from that conversation, but at the same time, he couldn't stop thinking about what had just happened. Out of nowhere, it was as if the idea on how to help Ruby had just appeared in his mind. After pondering it for a bit, he decided to just shrug it off, and figured he'd look into it more later. After all, with the meeting to plan their heist against Richards coming up the next day, his full attention was demanded elsewhere.

* * *

**I Need To Trust You…**

_**April 22** _ _**nd** _ _**:** _

"Alright, tomorrow is the day." Ruby addressed her teammates with a smile, "Let's get this plan sorted out. We can't afford to fail."

As soon as the coast was clear of Weiss and Blake that afternoon, Ruby, Farran, and Yang made their way into the school library, and out onto the maintenance platform, where Farran used his card to bring Viola out from the Velvet Room. Farran had spent most of the day before after their training session just laying on his futon, staring at the ceiling, and formulating his plan for how to get into Richards's office without getting caught. With one last look at the assembled group, he was convinced that the plan he had ultimately come up with was the right one.

"Right." Viola folded her arms, "Two days from right now, the man known as Agni Richards will have planted a bag of the drug known as Diamond Dust in the locker of an unsuspecting Faunus. He will use this to try to manipulate her into helping him in his drug trade, and effectively ruin her life. Also, he will use the altercation between him and Farran as grounds for Farran's expulsion."

"And he'll try to get Professor Peach fired too, although we don't know whether or not he'll be able to." Yang nodded to the summary with a frown, "What a dick! She might be a bit spacey, but there's no reason to get her fired!"

"Exactly. Now, our objective for tomorrow is clear. We find a way into Richards's office, upload the program Farran got from Velvet's teammate onto the computer, and get out of there all without being seen. From there, we will head to the usual spot in the alleyway, and we will enter the Metaverse to take down his Shadow. The question is, how exactly are we going to do that? Farran, you spent yesterday thinking it over, do you have any ideas?" Ruby motioned towards him.

"I think I do." Farran took a deep breath, readying himself to pitch his plan, "We'll need all of us working together to make this happen. Viola, can you still make your mirages on this side?"

An identical copy of Farran appeared right next to him as she smirked, "Does that answer your question?"

"It does. Your part in this is simple. You're going to need to pick out a good hiding place, somewhere out of the way where there's no students, but still has a security camera, and make the image of these two guys appear, talking to Professor Goodwitch." Farran pulled two pictures from his pocket, "I found these with those pictures of the goons sent from Atlas. Apparently, they're two of the students that Richards has been having selling Diamond Dust."

Ruby raised an eyebrow, "Ok, but how do we get him to check that specific camera feed? And even if he does, is the two of them talking to Professor Goodwitch enough to get him from his office?

"That's where you come in, Ruby. You're gonna knock on his office door and tell him those two were trying to sell Diamond Dust to you. Tell him you told Goodwitch, and she told you to tell him. Even if he tries to stay hands off with the whole drug ring, even a small thread can lead all the way back to him, and he knows that. Considering how much Goodwitch hates him, and the fact that he knows he can't just threaten her into keeping quiet cause she'd report him no matter what he says, he'll freak out and try to take control of the situation before anyone can look into it. Once he leaves, you're gonna zip down to where Viola is hiding and get her over to the alley."

Yang creased her brow, "So, the Asshole is out of his office, but how are we supposed to get in?"

"Simple, you." Farran beamed, "We learned yesterday that the sensor that locks his office door will short circuit when exposed to high heat. And it just so happens that when you use your Semblance, you heat up."

"I ran up to his office yesterday while  _someone_ was laying in bed staring off into space." Ruby bounced on her heels excitedly, "Professor Peach and Professor Goodwitch were exaggerating when they said you'd need a welding torch to break it, but you still need a lot of heat. Still, I've seen you use your Semblance, Yang. I think it should do the trick." When the other three stared at her, she pouted, "What?! I'm good at math and stuff! I made Crescent Rose myself, you know. I have to know the heating point of metals and all that junk."

Farran nodded, "Right. So, you and I will be hiding somewhere on the same floor until he leaves. Once we get in, we'll pop the drive into his computer. Depending on how long it takes for him to get down, we should have time to get in and out the same door, but if not, we can always just pop open one of his windows and I'll fly us down. From there, we all meet in the alleyway, and go take on his Shadow. Thoughts?"

Ruby sat back and considered it for a second, "You're assuming a lot of things with how Richards will act, but in all honesty, I think it's our best bet. So long as there are no objections, I approve it."

Yang snickered, "Look at you being our little leader, Rubes! But yeah, I'm cool with it. How about you, V?"

"Well, you three know far more about this world and the layout of your school than I do, so I can hardly object." Viola smiled, "All in all, it sounds like a solid plan."

Ruby pumped her fist, "Alright, since everyone agrees, then that will be the plan we will be executing tomorrow. With that settled, Viola. Do you have any idea what Richards's Shadow will throw at us?"

With the gaze of the other three solely on her, Viola shrunk, "Well… no. I have no idea, honestly. There really isn't any way to know until we face him. The only thing that can be certain is that this will be the strongest foe we have faced yet."

"Like we haven't figured that out. No offense, V." Yang plopped down on the edge of the platform, letting her legs dangle off the side, "Just gotta go in there, kick some ass, and come home like usual."

"You're right." Farran stared off at the blue horizon, "No reason to overthink things now."

"Excellent. It would seem we have our plan of attack all set then." Viola smiled, satisfied, "In that case, I will see all of you tomorrow afternoon. I would recommend you get plenty of rest. You'll certainly need it."

Viola summoned the door to the Velvet Room, and the group said their goodbyes to her as she disappeared back into the blue void. Once the door had disappeared, Farran stretched, as he and Ruby got ready to leave. Yang, however, didn't move from the ledge of the platform, staring out over the city of Vale.

"Hey guys…" She finally spoke up as Ruby started to head down the stairs, "Would you mind chilling here for a sec? I need to talk to you. Well, you in particular Ruby, but it would help if you stayed around too Farran."

Ruby and Farran looked at each other and shrugged, taking up seats on either side of the blonde. Ruby reached up and patted her on the shoulder, "What's up, Yang? This isn't like you."

"I know. I just… I've been meaning to talk with you for a while now. Pretty much ever since I got my Persona…" She glanced at Farran for a brief moment, then started to stare at her knees, "Ruby… if I wasn't the super strong sister you think I am… would you still love me?"

Ruby looked taken aback by her question, "Love you? Of course I would! You're my sister, Yang. Why-"

"So, even if I was weak… even if I couldn't be the perfect sister for you… you wouldn't hate me? You wouldn't leave me?" Her last words were hardly more than a whisper.

"Are you serious?!" Ruby screeched, the pain clear in her voice, "Do you really think I would do something like that? You're my sister, Yang! I love you, and I will always be there for you no matter what. How can you even ask something like that?!"

Yang pulled her legs up, hugging her knees to her chest, "I just… I need to be able to trust you. I need to hear you say that. Cause I'm not as strong as you think I am, Ruby. I try to be, believe me, I try so Gods damned hard to be the perfect sister for you because you deserve it. I just can't keep the worry out of the back of my mind that you, Dad, Qrow… Farran, Weiss, Blake… I just can't help but think that you'll all abandon me like Raven did if I'm not strong enough. Who the hell knows why she left like she did, but deep down, I always blamed myself for it. That's what my Shadow was all about. And that's why… I just have to know if you'll keep loving me even if I'm not…"

She was cut off by Ruby throwing her arms around Yang, burying her face in her shoulder, tears streaming down her face, "Shut up! Just shut up you dummy… Of course we would never leave you! None of us, not me, not dad, not Uncle Qrow… Raven is stupid! She's always been stupid, and she doesn't deserve to have you as her daughter! I don't care if you're weak or strong, perfect or not, you are my  _sister_ , Yang! You're the only one I have in the world, and there's nothing you can do that would make me abandon you!" She sniffled, "Just… don't die on me, ok? I couldn't take it!"

"Ruby… Here, let's get away from the ledge." Yang maneuvered her way up and helped Ruby to her feet as the trio moved back against the concrete cylinder, Ruby cuddling up against her sister.

"I'm sorry… I know you probably figured it out a long time ago, especially after I found Farran, but I'm still not over Mom's death." Ruby dried her eyes on her sleeves, "That's what my Shadow was for. I guess, I'm kinda like you. Like, you're afraid that we're all gonna leave you, right? I'm afraid, constantly, that one of you guys are gonna die. It was bad enough growing up when Dad and Uncle Qrow were on missions, but now that I'm the team leader… It just makes me terrified that any decision I make when we're fighting might get you killed. And I hate it. I absolutely hate it."

"Oh, so that's why you were asking if you should be leader yesterday…" When Ruby nodded to her comment, Yang looped an arm around her and tousled her hair, "Don't worry, little sis. None of us are going anywhere. You're a great leader already, and you just keep getting better. Remember that fight against the Nevermore during initiation? You took me and two strangers, and came up with a plan to take that thing down! You're gonna be fine." She paused for a moment and grimaced, "Honestly… The whole reason I decided to talk to you today is because you told us about that. I couldn't deal with the fact that you were strong enough to trust us with your problems, but I'm not strong enough to trust you."

"You're plenty strong, Yang!" Ruby beamed up at her, "But just cause you're strong doesn't mean you don't have your own problems. And just cause you have stuff you need help with, doesn't mean you're weak! That's why you have me, and the rest of our team too."

"I know, I know. That's what this jamoke keeps telling me." Yang elbowed Farran, "Speaking of, you've been quiet. You usually would've jumped into the conversation by now. Don't tell me you've fallen asleep on us."

Farran rubbed the back of his neck, "Nah, it's not that. I'm just letting this all play out. You're both doing what you need to do, so I'm just letting it happen."

"Whatever you say, Farran." Ruby forced herself back to her feet, "I dunno about you guys, but sitting on concrete for so long is starting to hurt. Wanna head back?"

They both nodded, and made their way down the stairs to the maintenance shaft. Ruby started to crawl through first, but when it was Farran's time to go, he froze, looking puzzled at Yang. While it was true he had stayed quiet during the conversation between the sisters so that they could get everything on the table between the two of them, there was another reason for his silence. Much like the day before, when he felt the image of Charon filling his mind, reminding him of Ruby's strategic mastery throughout all of their fights so far, while Ruby and Yang were talking, he was imagining the Minotaur in his mind, steering him towards his instinctive desire to get her alone and console her himself. He bit his lip, unsure of what he should do in this situation.

Sensing he was staring at her, Yang turned to Farran with a wink, "What, do I have something on my face? Or are you just dumbstruck by my looks? Come on, Ruby should be through by now, get moving."

"Oh, sorry Yang…" Farran paused. His internal debate over what to do concluded when he decided to see where the Minotaur would lead him, "Sorry, I just… I know this is dumb, and I don't really know how to phrase it the best, but I wanted to get the chance to say I'm proud of your decision to talk to Ruby."

"Proud?" Her eyebrow flicked up.

"Well, I don't mean to sound like I'm talking down to you… But you asked Ruby to stay around and talk to you all on your own, didn't you? Even though this was some big problem in your life, you were able to reach out and talk to someone about it on your own! That's awesome, Yang. It really is."

Yang drooped her head and smiled sadly, "I wish I could agree with you, Hero. I didn't do it on my own. If you hadn't told me it was something I needed to do, and if Ruby hadn't talked to us yesterday, I don't know if I ever would have. And even though I did, I had to have you there next to me to do it. It wasn't anything impressive, I just did what I had to do, with you two pushing me along to the end."

"Oh, please. I didn't do anything, Yang. Just sat there, and let you guys talk! Even if I told you that you should talk to her originally, that was a while ago, and you still didn't have to listen to me. And yet you did, and that's awesome."

"Hey, don't you go selling yourself short now!" She threw an arm around his shoulders, pulling him to a tight side-hug, "You might not be some ace problem solver, but you still help more than you know. You can deny it all you want, but there's a reason I call you 'Hero'!"

Ruby's voice echoed through the vent, "Hey you dummies! Are you coming or what? I've been waiting forever!"

"Coming!" Yang pushed Farran off towards the vent, "Come on, no more dramatic stuff. We have more important things to worry about. But thanks, Farran. I really appreciate it."

Farran smiled as he crawled through the tunnel, and once both were on the other side, accompanied by the slightly annoyed Ruby, they made their way back to the dorm. The group spent the rest of the day relaxing, and once evening fell, Yang volunteered to make dinner, along with Farran and Weiss's help. Even then, he couldn't stop thinking back on their conversation, and about how Yang had said there was a reason she called him his nickname. The feeling of their bond strengthening in his heart held him over throughout the night, and when it was finally time for bed, Farran felt sleep take him immediately, without the anxiety he had expected in anticipation of the coming day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, Blake... That was your chance to get everything off your chest! Why you gotta lie like that even then? Oh well, this IS a Persona story. All truths come to light eventually...
> 
> Alright, Gang! This is it! The next chapter we will have our first heist, and then take that asshole down! You guys excited? I know I am!
> 
> Just want to give a shoutout to weismax33, for reminding me I should be adding the dates when the days change. Sorry if that's been confusing for you guys, I should have been doing that for the start.
> 
> That's all I got for this week. See you in the next chapter for the Boss fight!
> 
> Inferno :D


	14. Life Will Change

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, everybody! This is it! You guys ready? Let's do this! https://youtu.be/rt594nYBPQA

_**April 23** _ _**rd** _ _**:** _

Farran could feel his palms sweating all throughout the morning, as he, Ruby, and Yang went about making preparations for their mission. They had spent most of the morning searching for a spot for Viola to hide while she made her mirages, and just past 11, they found the perfect place. One of the Physical Plant garages over by the edge of the woods had a ladder connected to the side of it, allowing them to get a vantage point of a normally unused courtyard, which just so happened to be monitored by one of Richards's cameras. Farran summoned her out of the Velvet Room, and let her survey the area to make sure it would work for her.

"Let's see here…" She hummed as she knelt down, extending an arm towards the courtyard. After a second, the image of the two boys from the photos Farran had showed her, alongside the image of Professor Goodwitch who was holding what looked to be a bag of Diamond Dust, flickered into existence, "It's just on the edge of how far I can make them, but otherwise it's perfect."

"Awesome." Farran handed her his scroll, "I want you to take this. When we're in position, I'll send out a text from Yang's phone to let you know when to make your mirage. Once he's gone, Ruby will be coming right here to get you."

She nodded, "Right, then the two of us will meet you at the entrance of the Palace."

"Exactly. Just hunker down until then, and we'll be in touch. Sorry if this takes a little bit, we just want to make sure we're ready."

She waved him off assuring him she'd be fine waiting there, then took up a spot in a little nook on the roof. There wasn't much danger of her being discovered, as no students ever really used the courtyard below, and Physical Plant would not be operating until classes resumed the next day, but even so, she felt it best to hide. From there, the trio made their way over to their lockers and grabbed their weapons, bringing them to the usual alleyway, and storing them in one of Professor Peach's large shipping containers that she had left there. They figured it was the perfect place to leave them, as the alley wouldn't be cleared on that day, and it would look suspicious if they brought their weapons to Richards's office. Farran closed the lid of the shipping container, and patted his pocket, making sure he had the drive with him. With all the preparations made, the group headed for Beacon Tower, taking the elevator up to the floor where Richards's office was located.

The elevator finally stopped about five floors below the top of the tower, letting them out onto the landing. The entire floor was filled with the empty shells of old offices, as Farran had heard that prior to Richards getting the job, this floor had been an administration office filled with them, but once he got the position, he forced everyone on that floor to relocate. Now, the only office left in use was his own, taking up an entire half of the floor. Farran, Ruby and Yang moved over to one of the abandoned offices, and hid.

"Ok, Ruby." Farran whispered intensely, "After Richards leaves, you're going to take the other elevator down, and then get to Viola as fast as possible. Do not let him see you. As soon as we're done here, we'll meet you in the alley. Got it?"

She nodded, "Yeah. I'll make sure he doesn't see us. Worst comes to worst, I'll have Viola throw up a mirage around us or something."

"Good. Ok, Yang. Let me borrow your scroll for a sec." Farran started typing up the message to Viola once she handed it to him. Once he finished, he just stared at the words, his heart pumping and a small smile starting to creep on his face, "You guys ready to go? Once I send this, we're moving. There's no turning back." He waited as Ruby and Yang looked at each other, then back to him and nodded, "Alright then. This heist is a go!"

Farran thumbed the send button, and handed the scroll back to Yang. He looked to Ruby, and with one last thumbs up, she left their hiding spot and approached Richards's office. With one last deep breath, she started pounding on the door.

"Director Richards! Director Richards!" She yelled, "I need your help!"

There was a short, tense moment as Farran and Yang stared at the door, waiting, until finally a flustered Richards winged the door open. They could see a whole line of security monitors covering the office wall behind him.

"What the devil is going on out here?!" He looked down at Ruby, "Miss Rose, what is the meaning of this?"

"I'm sorry, Director Richards! There's something we need your assistance with! I was just in the courtyard over by the woods. There were these boys there, upperclassmen I think, I've never seen them before." Ruby never was the best actress, but she sped through her words the best she could to try to cover that up and make herself seem more panicked, "They… They tried selling me drugs! Diamond Dust, I think they said. When I refused, they said they would hurt me if I didn't buy some, so I ran. I told Professor Goodwitch, and she told me to come get you!"

"What?!" He roared. In a panic, he charged back into his office, and grabbing a remote. From where she stood, Ruby could see one of the monitors switch to the feed containing Viola's mirages. Richards stared at the disbelief for a moment, then ran out of the office, slamming the door shut behind him, "Those fools! Miss Rose, wait here for now. I'll need you to clear things up when I get back…"

Richards stormed off towards the elevator, doing his best possible interpretation of a sprint. He slammed the call button, and soon after, disappeared into the elevator. Once the doors closed behind him, Ruby stuck her tongue out mockingly as it started to descend. She motioned over towards where Farran and Yang were hiding, and both got up to join her.

"Nice job, Rubes!" Yang tousled her sister's hair, "Hero and I will take over from here, go ahead and get to Viola."

She nodded, "Alright. Be careful, you two!"

Yang watched as her sister zipped to the elevators and pressed the call button, bouncing impatiently as she waited for it to come up. She turned back to Farran with a worried smile, "Ok, so what's next?"

Farran opened the scanner panel, "You're gonna need to activate your Semblance and fry this thing. Give it as much heat as you got!"

"Ha, that should be no problem." She shot him a wink, "After all, I'm already hot as it is."

Yang's hair started to glow, and her irises turned from their usual violet to crimson. Farran could feel the temperature in the room dramatically increase around them as Yang's Semblance activated. She pressed her knuckles gently against the panel, a waft of steam rising off of it as she did so. However, even after a few moments of waiting, nothing happened, and the door stayed locked in front of them.

"Nothing's happening…" Yang muttered.

"You guys need to hurry up!" Ruby called from the elevator door, "We don't know how long he'll ne gone!"

Farran stared at the panel for a second, thinking to himself.  _Maybe if…_ "Yang, we need more heat."

"Well, no shit Farran!" She grumbled, "What do you think I'm trying to do?"

He watched as her hair got slightly brighter, "I don't know what you're trying to do, but it's obviously not working. Come on, we need to get in there, now!"

If looks could kill, Farran would be a dead man, "I. know. Farran."

"Do you? Cause I don't think you understand just what's at stake here. Velvet's life is going to be ruined, and I'm gonna get expelled! So, if you would please stop messing around and-"

"Will you shut your Gods damned mouth already, Farran?!" She roared.

Yang's hair started glowing white, and the room turned blistering hot. Yang glared at Farran, and looked like she would deck him, but before she could, her knuckles suddenly sank a bit into the scanner. Yang pulled her hand away, surprised, as her hair and eyes returned to their normal state. The scanner started to sputter and spark, and after a second, the display flickered off.

Farran heard the lock on the door click just as the elevator returned to their floor to pick up Ruby. He let out a sigh of relief, "Oh Gods, thank you… I didn't know what else to do if that didn't work."

Yang blinked at him, "Wait, you were doing all that to piss me off on purpose?"

"Well, it worked, didn't it?!" Farran pointed his thumb towards the door, "Come on, we don't have much time."

With one last wave to Ruby, the two burst into the room. It seemed as if Richards's office at one point had been a command center of some sort, as a number of desks lined either side of the room, all pointing towards the wall of monitors. In the very back of the room sat a large desk which seemed to belong to Richards.

"Alright, Yang. Find Richards on the monitors and let me know whenever he starts heading back." Farran directed as he headed to the back of the room. He knelt down behind the desk, finding the main computer terminal. His hand slipped into his pocket, grabbing the drive, and plugging it in, "Gods this place smells… Does this man eat nothing but raw onions? Alright Yang, how are we doing?"

"He's just making his way around the school now!" She called back, "Not like he's a sprinter or anything. Ruby should be just fine getting to V before he does. How about you, the program working?"

Farran wiped some crumbs from Richards's swivel chair and took a seat. The monitor in front of him showed that the program was downloading, but it was progressing at a snail's pace, "It's working, but we're gonna need some time? Just let me know if anything changes."

Ten percent. Fifteen percent. Twenty percent. A lifetime seemed to pass in between each tick of progress. Farran drummed his fingers on the desk, willing the progress bar onwards with all his might. He was sure that after this mission was over, his name would be much more fitting, as the stress from all this would turn his hair silver to match. After a while, he heard Yang let out a gasp of concern, just after the bar passed the halfway point.

"What's wrong?" He looked up to see her standing stock still.

"He ran into Goodwitch!" She pointed at the monitor she had been staring at, "The real one!"

In a panic, Farran rushed to her side. Just as she had said, the monitor showed a courtyard located not far from the alleyway they would be heading to next, but still quite far away from Viola. Richards and the real Glynda Goodwitch stood there, apparently yelling at each other. After a few moments, Richards threw his hands up in disgust, spun on his heels, and stormed off the way he had just come.

"Shit, shit, SHIT!" Yang screeched, "He's on his way back here!"

Farran sprinted back to the monitor, the program only sixty percent of the way finished, "Just let me know when he gets close! We still got a while yet."

Farran stared at the screen, not daring to take his eyes off it, as if doing so would cause progress to come to a halt, or worse, the whole thing to crash altogether. His whole body was shaking, and he could feel his heart beating out of his chest with each tick of progress. Sixty-five percent. Seventy percent. They needed the program to finish, and soon. He had no idea what Richards would do if he found them there, but he certainly didn't want Yang to be dragged into it.

"Farran, he's at the elevator!" She hissed.

Eighty percent, "I know, we just need a little more time."

"Farran we need to get out of here!"

Eighty-five percent, "We can't! We have to make sure this damn thing works, or this was all pointless!"

"Farran, he's on the elevator! If we don't go now, he'll find us!"

Ninety percent, "I know, just… Just pop open the window! It's almost done, and we'll get out that way."

His vision started to go blurry, as he gripped the edge of the desk tight enough, that he was convinced it might snap off at any moment. Finally, once the elevator reached the halfway point to their floor, the progress bar sped to the end. As soon as the program finished downloading, the monitor he was staring at, and all the ones on the far wall turned black, and then, a dark crimson.

"Yes, we're good!" Farran swiped the drive from the computer and thrust it back into his pocket, "Let's get the hell out of here, Yang!"

She threw the window open, allowing enough space for the two of them to climb out. The whole campus stretched out below them, completely devoid of anyone who could see them make their escape. Farran activated his Semblance, and gave his wings one test flap. Before they could leave, however, they stopped at the sound of music coming from the room. They looked at the screen, surprised to find that the dark crimson had changed to a bright red, the words "Confess your crimes!" scrolling across the bottom. After a few seconds, much to their disgust, a small, cartoon version of Professor Port came onto all the screens and started to dance, shaking his rump for all to see.

"That is wrong on so many levels…" Yang deadpanned.

"You're a Gods damned asshole, Fox…" Farran shook his head, "We don't have a lot of time, Yang. Do you trust me?" After a brief moment of hesitation, she nodded, "Good. Then hold on tight."

Farran picked her up, bridal style, and with one last deep breath, he leapt through the window. His wings spread as they went through the air, as he felt a slight pinch from one clipping the window frame on the way out. They fell a good few feet before he could get his wings flapping enough, but before long, he slowed their descent, and soon after that, they were slowly gliding towards the ground. Over the rushing of the wind, he could hear Yang happily saying something that he couldn't hear, but it brought a smile to his face nonetheless. They had done it! Their first step was complete, and they were free and on their way to the Metaverse. Farran curved around the building, out of sight of Richards's office's windows, and after gliding a few feet, he brought them both to a soft landing.

"My hero." Yang tittered as he set her down gently.

"You're hilarious, Yang." Farran deadpanned, "Now come on, let's get going! We gotta meet up with Ruby and Viola. The job isn't done just yet."

They made a mad dash for the alleyway, wanting to put an end to this, and wanting to put as much distance between them and Richards as possible. A few minutes later, the duo found Ruby and Viola standing in the alley, patiently waiting for then, Ruby already having Crescent Rose holstered on her back. Viola fished their weapons out of the container, handing Ember Celica to Yang, and Silverbreak to Farran, as the two caught their breath.

"So, did you guys do it?" Ruby bounced on her heels, "Did you get all the cameras taken down?"

"Well… We ran into a bit… of technical difficulties." Yang panted, "Richards ran into the real Goodwitch before he could even get to where you guys were."

"Still got the program to work though." Farran straightened up, pressing a fist into his lower back and feeling a slight pop, "Just barely, but it worked. Slightly disappointed I didn't get to see his reaction, though."

"I think you'll get to see it just fine, Farran." Viola noted as she scanned his scroll, "Whatever that program did, it worked. The Shadows are all in a frenzy on the other side, and the Palace ruler has most of the major corridors throughout the Palace blocked off. We're lucky we found that sigil, otherwise I don't know if we'd be able to reach him."

"No point in thinking about 'ifs'. We have everything set to go. Are you all ready?" Ruby waited until she received nods from Farran, Yang, and Viola, "Alright then, Team. This mission is a go. BANZAI!"

She flipped open her own scroll, holding it above them. With a press of the button, blue light quickly swallowed the group, and soon after, their world fell away, transporting them into the void.

* * *

Before the light had even faded, a cloud of thick, black smoked surrounded the group, filling their lungs. Coughing and wheezing, they staggered their way forward a few feet as soon as they felt the ground reach them, only to turn around to a horrifying sight. The decrepit city that surrounded the tower in the Metaverse had been set completely ablaze. Pillars of flame rose from the already destroyed town, licking towards the sky that was once again filled with smoke. The factory, too, had been destroyed, with gaping holes having been blasted through much of the structure. The panel that had once kept the glyph that would teleport them to the top of the tower hidden had been wrenched off the side of the building completely, the soft light of the sigil pouring out from the darkness within.

"What the hell is going on here, V?" Yang mouthed, awestruck, "I know for a fact you can't blame all this on me like last time…"

"No, it is our fault, but I should have warned you about the possibility." Viola took a cautious look around, "This is what happens in a Palace after you expose the Palace ruler to just how vulnerable they and their desires are. The distortions affecting it have completely changed, and are now warping the reality that's inside this world."

"Because before, he thought he was completely untouchable at Beacon, right? And now that he knows he's not, he pictures the one place he thought was safe as being under attack?" Farran looked to Viola for confirmation and received a nod.

"That's right. And if I had to guess, the reason his Palace is like this, and the reason that the Shadows are so agitated, is he believes his enemy that has been lurking in the city have made their first move. Which means," She pointed up towards the top of the tower. After a brief pause, they saw a guard Shadow plummet through the smoke, splattering on the ground, and instantly dissolving, "There are two factions of Shadows going to war inside. We'll need to be careful, regardless of if they're fighting the same enemy as us, there is no such thing as a friendly Shadow."

Ruby unholstered Crescent Rose, extending it to its scythe form, "We'll be careful. Now let's get a move on before any come through here."

The group ran into the small alcove where the sigil was located. Bits of rubble, shaken from the ceiling by the fighting above and the destruction of the factory, left a thin sheet of dust over top the sigil, but its light continued to shine through. They stepped on the glyph, and instantly felt themselves start to rise towards the top of the tower.

Richards's private study had been left just as devastated as the ground below. All the books and papers had been ripped to shreds, the desk lay in splinters, and the outside wall had been cleaved open, leaving an open hole to the outside, letting them see the carnage beneath. The platform had been turned into a battlefield, with Shadows of all kinds fighting amongst one another, spells soaring through the air, sometimes finding their mark, but more often than not, carving a new hole in the walls of the manor or the floor of the platform. Every so often, one of the more physical Shadows would pick up another, and toss it from the top of the tower, hurdling towards its demise at the bottom. Viola motioned for the others to group up near the doorway, listening to the sounds of a group of Shadows running by.

"We need reinforcements!" One cried, "The enemy has completely overrun the elevator landing! We must stop them from securing it as a foothold, otherwise we wont be able to hold them off for long."

"All units! Make you way into the tower." They heard what they presumed to be the leader of this group yell, "Fight until your last breath! Fight for the honor of our Boss!"

The voices were followed by the sound of metallic footfalls slowly growing quieter. Farran popped the door open, and peered out into the empty hall.

"Well, it looks like we wont be going down that way, then." He muttered.

"Wasn't that the whole reason we went looking for this glyph in the first place?" Yang questioned, "So we didn't have to fight an army of Shadows on the way in or out?"

Ruby nodded, "Yang's right. The elevator wasn't going to be an option no matter what. Taking down Richards's Shadow is going to be bad enough. Besides, we don't know how they Shadows will react once its gone."

"Speaking of which. Hey, V." Yang looked over to Viola, "Are there any Shadows that we need to worry about on this floor or the next one?"

Viola looked over Farran's scroll again and frowned, "No, there isn't. The only Shadow being picked up on the map on either floor is the Palace ruler himself. I figured he would have at least some of his strongest guards up here with him, but it seems that all the Shadows have been deployed to the lower levels. That scares me. Either he is extremely desperate, extremely confident in his own abilities, or some combination of the two. In either case, we need to be careful."

The group nodded, as Farran, Yang, and Ruby prepared their weapons, holding them at the ready as they crept along. With the study behind them, the noise outside lowered considerably, although the occasional rocking of the manor served to keep them all on their toes. When they reached the top of the stairs, Farran peeked in through the double doors. Richards's lair had stayed completely intact throughout the fighting, and would have been identical to how they had seen it the other day, however, all the monitors that lined the walls now displayed the same crimson "Confess your Crimes" screen from the program in the real world.  _Thankfully no Professor Port, at least…_  In the far, left corner, Shadow Richards stood angrily pounding on one of the monitors, in a desperate attempt to get it to work.

Farran stepped back and addressed his teammates, "Alright, he's in there, alone. Just like Viola said. This is it guys. Once we step through this door, there's no turning back until we beat this guy. What do you say, are you all ready?"

Ruby pumped her fist, "Let's do this! Just gotta take this guy down, and we'll save Velvet, Farran, and all of Beacon too!"

"Ready whenever you are, Hero!" Yang punched her open palm, "No way we're turning back now. This bastard has been running around doing whatever he wants for far too damn long. It's time for us to knock him down a peg."

Viola beamed, "You all have worked so hard to get to this point. I might not be able to fight, but remember that I'll giving everything I have to back you all up. Just one more fight, and you can all go home safely."

"Alright then. Let's go." With one last smile to his team, Farran threw open the double doors.

They boldly walked into the room, the sound of their footsteps muffled by the red carpet that led to Shadow Richards's throne. Farran felt his grip on Silverbreak's hilt tighten as Richards turned towards them, the sound of the door alerting him to their presence. He did all he could to force w cocky smile, trying to keep his arms steady, belying the frantic beating of his heart and the sweat coming from his palms. A demonic look crossed Shadow Richards's face as it ran towards them, stopping a good few paces between them and its throne.

"You troublemakers! What the devil are you doing here?! This is  _my_ Palace!" A vein started to pop on its forehead, "I have enough problems at the moment without having to slaughter the likes of you!"

"Yeah, a shame about that, isn't it?" Yang snickered, "Seems like someone burnt their way into your office and put a virus on your computer, taking out all your precious cameras. Sooo sorry about that."

Shadow Richards stared at them, dumbstruck, but when the pieces all came together, he exploded, "You! Somehow I knew it was you that did this! Do you have any idea what you all have done?!"

"Do you really think any of us give a damn?" Farran stepped forward, "You, asshole, have been ruining one of the only institutions keeping all of Remnant safe since the first Gods damned day you set foot at Beacon. You threatened the livelihood of anyone who got in your way. And you planned on ruining Velvet's life, an innocent girl who just wants to make Remnant a better place, for no other reason than trying to make a few extra Lien."

"The beast is getting what it deserves!" Shadow Richards bellowed, "That whole race of animals are nothing but vermin! Don't act as if they're all innocent. They have gangs all over Atlas and Mantle, just the same as ours. You think we're the only ones? They sell drugs and pimp and murder just the same as we do!"

"Will you shut up already?!" Ruby mustered up the best imitation of a glare that she could, "You can't act like all Faunus are bad, just cause you ran into a few bad ones! It would be like if they said all humans were bad just cause of you!"

"I can do as I please! Wealth and status are the only things in the world that matter, and I climbed the chain of the Atlesian Mafia all on my own! I am the reason we have been as financially successful as we are."

"And yet your superiors plan on offing you, don't they?" Farran snarled, "Probably not a good look to be taking money off the top of your operations, now is it? Face it Richards, you're the lowlife in the situation. You always have been, and if it weren't for whatever you have over Ozpin, you wouldn't have any kind of standing in your little gang. This is the end for you, man. We're going to take you down, and you're going to confess to your crimes."

Shadow Richards started to cackle, "Confess? You really are naïve, kid. Blabbing to the authorities would be accepting the death penalty for me. No way the rest of the Mafia let me live. Even if my Palace is being stormed, I'm not about to let that happen. If I'm going to die today… THEN I'M TAKING YOU ALL WITH ME!"

Shadow Richards reared back, and as he did, a maelstrom of wind erupted from him, shoving the group all the way across the room. Its body started to stretch and contort, growing immensely in size as it all started to become a mass of darkness, much like Shadow Cardin had so long ago. Higher and wider it grew, with a large, dark blob amassing in the center as smaller tendrils spread out, fanning across the room and connecting to the walls, floor, and ceiling. When the gusts of wind finally stop, the darkness fell, revealing Shadow Richards's true form.

A giant spider with Richards's face, its body nearly the length from the floor to the ceiling, clung to an enormous web that fully blocked anything past the throne. Thick plates of steel armor covered its thorax, and most of its hind legs. The front two, each covered in thick, black hair, came together in front of the beast, which he gleefully rubbed together as it stared at them, fiery anger filling its beady, black eyes. Far in front of the spider, separating the group from their target, were three disembodied hands, each in wearing a white leather glove. They floated around in circles, ready to strike.

"Oh, that is just wrong on so many levels…" Yang grimaced.

Shadow Richards let out another cackle, its voice now heavily distorted, "Now, now, no need to be afraid. Please, come to my web! I promise my associates will take good care of you."

Farran adjusted his grip on Silverbreak, preparing for a fight, "Alright, Viola. What are we looking at here?"

"Just give me a second to scan them." The light of Viola's scan started to spread across the room, "Let's see here… The Palace ruler itself doesn't seem like it's capable of much offense on its own. I can tell you it isn't weak to anything in particular, and it's only strong to light and dark moves, which I don't think any of you have. As for the hands, I can tell they're weak to fire and psychic damage. There's something more about them, though… I can barely see- AH!"

She was almost immediately cut off by one of the hands flying directly at her. Just as the hand was about to close down around her, it received a swift jab from Yang, a burst of gunfire releasing into its palm from Ember Celica, sending it across the room.

Shadow Richards cackled, "Now, now, we can't have you narcing all my secrets. Do you have and idea what happens to stool pigeons in my line of work? Alright, men! Target the one in the blue dress first! She'll make an  _excellent_ first prize…"

Farran, Ruby, and Yang fell back around Viola, forming as much of a protective wall around her as they could as the floating hands flew towards them. Farran summoned Charon, using him to create a shell of ice around her. He knew it wouldn't last for long, but for a temporary solution, it was the best he had. The trio had to alternate between sending attacks towards Shadow Richards, and protecting themselves and Viola from the onslaught of the hands. Farran was forced to use his whole compliment of Personas all throughout the exchange. Kijimuna's gusts of wind and provided some useful cover, Lady Luck proved to be a great option once they got close, and Salamander's fire peppered the plate armor of Shadow Richards, but Farran found himself relying more and more on Echo. His newest Persona possessed a wide array of psychic attacks, which devastated the hands, forcing them back towards Shadow Richards. Just when it seemed like they might be able to force them off and do some damage, Farran heard a horrible squelch, followed by the sound of a gunshot, and felt fiery pain explode from his chest, dropping him down to one knee. He looked up to Shadow Richards, only to see a pistol the size of Crescent Rose protruding from its back end. Shadow Richards laughed maniacally as the hands restarted their onslaught, one fist slamming into Farran and crushing him against the wall, while two more smashed into the ice barrier, shattering it around Viola.

The hands lashed at her, desperately trying to get at Viola, only to be knocked away by Lupa and Pele. Ruby lined up Crescent Rose, and sunk four rounds into one of the two, the shadowy matter that made them up exploding out from the hand with each successful hit. The hand charged at her, only to be caught with a slash from Lupa's scythe, who then immediately started to howl, sending the hand skyward in a pillar of wind. Ruby quickly popped the magazine out of Crescent Rose, bringing a new one out from her pouch and reloaded. Once the hand hit the zenith of its flight, Ruby stared down the sights of Crescent Rose, letting one last deep breath out before she took aim and fired. Her bullet exploded from the barrel, crackling with electricity as it sped towards its target. She waited with baited breath until, finally, the shot struck true, and sparks roared out from the center of its palm, encapsulating it completely, and turning it back into the mass of shadowy matter. With a satisfied smile, Ruby spun around, looking to help out Yang with her foe. She raised Crescent Rose, staring down the sights of her rifle, but before she could take aim, she was struck dumb with surprise. Instead of fighting the one other hand that had attacked Viola, Yang was instead fighting  _four hands at once_. She quickly spun to check on Farran, who was still struggling to escape the clutches of the hand pinning him to the wall. She went to raise Crescent Rose again, but was immediately smacked flat to the ground. She craned her head to see Lupa being crushed beneath the palm of yet another hand. With a sinking feeling, she looked up, only to see the shadow of another hand cascading down at her. With a grunt, she rolled out of the way, just as the incoming hand smashed into the ground where she had once been, shattering the floor all around it.

Yang was in trouble. It had been far easier than she had expected once they had separated the hands, and between her and Pele, Persona and user had been easily able to dissect their foe. The hands movements were slow and predictable, clearly supposed to be modeled after a boxer, but far less experienced of one than her dad, who had trained her to fight since she was old enough to throw a punch. A few strikes from Pele here, a couple of blasts from Ember Celica there, and every so often having Pele launch a fireball at the hand, and she had it on the ropes. Just as it was about to go down, she picked her spot and charged in, releasing a good amount of the energy she had been saving up through her Semblance just as she struck. Ember Celica roared, as an explosion of bright light surrounded her and the hand. When the light faded, she expected the area in front of her to be clear, allowing her to go after Shadow Richards, or at the very least help her teammates, but instead, where there was once one Shadow hand, there were now two. Not one to be daunted by a new foe, Yang cracked her neck, raised her fists, and got ready for a fight. Even with the second hand, Yang dispatched of the two fairly easily between her and Pele, soon finding herself within range to finish them off again. Choosing to save her Semblance, she sent Pele, who sunk her flaming fist into the palm of one of the hands, ripping it in two. However, instead of disintegrating like all the Shadows she had faced previously, the hand reverted into a dark mass, split in half, and reformed into two more hands. She stared at them, dumbfounded, giving them an opening, which they readily took, forcing her to dodge just as one of the hands was about to sink its knuckles into her torso. She continued to fight, but it soon became apparent that she had no chance of winning. Each time she destroyed a hand, it simply split into two more. Three became four, which became six, which became eight soon after. Yang started panting, slowly but surely being drained by her use of Pele, but she didn't have a choice. With the other two caught up in their own fights, all she could do at the moment was dodge and defend.

"Yes, good…" Shadow Richards cackled from across the hall, "Struggle all you want, little insects. You'll only doom yourself more in my unending web."

Farran struggled to get free of the crushing hold of the Shadow hand, watching the chaos unfold while Ruby and Yang fought. After a moment, he was finally able to shove the hand off of him enough to summon Minotaur. He knew it was a gamble, as Minotaur's strength drained his own exceedingly quickly, but it was one he had to take with Ruby and Yang slowly being overpowered by sheer numbers. The half-bull, half-man Persona wrenched the Shadow off of him, slamming it to the ground. Farran gritted his teeth as he commanded Minotaur, already feeling the fatigue set in. It picked the Shadow high above its head, taking aim, and launching it clear across the room. In a split second, the hand shot towards Shadow Richards, colliding with it, and cracking the steel plate on its back slightly. Enraged, Shadow Richards reached up and grabbed the hand with one of its front legs, spiking it down to the floor.

"You damned fool!" The Shadow bellowed at the hand beneath it, "You dare strike me? I own you!"

Shadow Richards opened its mouth wide, allowing a nightmarish set of pincers out. The pincers separated, and in the blink of an eye, snapped shut through the air. For some reason, the hand began to seize and shake, wrenching its form all over the ground. After a moment, it stopped moving, then disintegrated completely.

Farran moved up, summoning Salamander and started to help Yang cull the ever increasing tidal wave of Shadows. Ruby, who had been fighting off her own, slowly but surely made her way over to the rest.

"Alright, Viola." Farran ducked out of the way of an incoming fist, "What the hell is going on? No matter how much we beat these things, they just keep multiplying!"

Viola dodged a hand of her own, "I'm not sure! I need to be able to set up and concentrate to scan them, but with them all flying around, I can't really do that!"

Yang scanned the room, desperately trying to find any sign of a way to beat them, or at least a way out, as a veritable army of Shadow hands filled the room. The room itself was covered by the flames that had been launched by Pele and Salamander, small fires just lapping up towards the ceiling. Just when she began to give up, she caught sight of a small glint out of the corner of her eye. She thought she had just imagined it, but every time one of the small fires started to flick upwards, she saw it. A small line, just hovering in the air, between the hands and Shadow Richards.  _It's almost as if…_

"That's it!" She yelled, pointing towards the glint, "Guys, I know how to beat them. It looks like all these hands are acting on their own, but he's controlling them. There's a small wire or string or  _something_  that connects them to him. That's why the one you launched at him got destroyed, Farran!"

"You sure about this, Yang?" Farran grunted as he forced one of the attacking hands back.

"Positive! That's why he's so desperate to get Viola. If she scanned them, she'd have been able to tell. Just watch the fires, you'll see what I mean."

In between attacks, Ruby squinted in the direction Yang had been looking. Sure enough, right where one of the flames was burning, she could see the line Yang was talking about, "She's right. Now that we know what to do, I have an idea. Farran, I'm gonna need you to get one of them to chase you. You're gonna loop around the lines until they all start to tie together, and then we'll cut them all at once. Yang and I will fight them off here, and try to take out as many as we can, but there's no way we can take them all on like this. Can you do it?"

"Got it. Just hold on the best you can, guys." Before he flew off, Farran quickly summoned the Musketeer, "Keep me covered if any of 'em get to close, yea?"

He waited for the Persona to nod and take aim with his musket, then deftly kicked off the ground, flying towards the center of the room. Immediately, a squadron of five hands picked up on his movements, breaking away from the rest and pursuing him. Once he was halfway between Shadow Richards and the others, Farran made a hard left, skimming across the floor towards the wall, preparing for his loop. As the hands continued to chase him, he heard more maniacal laughter come from Shadow Richards.

"Yes, fly, fly, little fly. Fly through the air as fast as you can!" It chortled, "Don't you know what happens when a fly struggles in a spider's web?"

Farran sped around the room, doing loop after loop after loop around the threads that Yang had talked about, yet he still couldn't see. Every so often, he would feel one of the hands bearing down on him, only for the Musketeer to make it peel off with one of his shots. After far too many passes, Farran started to feel sick, but he was finally able to see the strands. Dozens of strands of white silk spread across the room, bowing in the middle where Farran had been busy tying, then spreading out towards the hands. Evidently, Shadow Richards finally caught on to their plan, as he started to desperately bark orders at the hands.

"No, you damned fools!" The spider bellowed, "Cant you see what they're doing?! Catch him immediately!"

Concentrating on getting just one more loop, Farran gave every last ounce of strength he had to his wings, bobbing and weaving around the torrent of hands trying to stop him. His dodges, however, significantly reduced his speed, and once he reached the crest of his loop, he felt a gut-wrenching, searing pain coming from his back. He craned his neck around to see one of the hands crushing his wings in its grasp. The hand reared back and pitched him down to the ground, crashing to the hard marble floor.

"Ruby… Now!" He yelled over the pain, wincing as he forced his wings to dissipate.

Hearing her cue, the young leader zipped away from her spot, just as one of the hands bared down on her. It crashed to the ground atop a pile of crushed rose petals. Curling around the bend, Ruby leapt for the knot Farran had tied, switching Crescent Rose into its scythe form, and smashing its tip into the floor. Just as the maelstrom of Shadow hands were baring down on top of her, she stuck her tongue out at them with a smile, pulling Crescent Rose's trigger. The recoil sent the blade carving through the strands, effortlessly cutting through them all, and severing their connection to Shadow Richards. Much like the one Minotaur had launched at the main Shadow, the army of hands fell to the ground, seizing around, before finally disintegrating.

"No!" Shadow Richards cried out, "You bunch of insolent punks… How dare you! This is my world! MY WORLD! You have no right to go against my word!"

The spider made a sound quite similar to a cat coughing up a hairball. It reared back and spat at Ruby, sending a sticky ball of webbing shooting towards the girl. Just as it was about to make impact, it was met by a ball of fire thrown by Pele, immolating it. The remaining ashes fell to the ground in front of Ruby as Yang walked over to help her sister up.

"So, he's got a gun coming out his ass, and he shoots his web out of his mouth." Yang grimaced, "Nothing about this thing makes sense, and its all just plain creepy."

Farran, who had finally recovered from being tossed to the ground, made his way over to them, his grip on Silverbreak tight, "Don't tell me you're afraid of a little spider, Yang."

"Oh yeah, cause that things little. I'm not scared, but this thing is seriously freaky. I mean, did you see the pincers come from its mouth?"

"Touché. Viola?" Farran turned around to their navigator, "This thing got any more reinforcements coming, or are we free to take it down?"

The soft light of Viola's scan spread throughout the room once more. Her scan done, she flashed a satisfied smile, "Nope. Now that the hands are gone, there's nothing to worry about. That thing isn't any stronger than the first Shadow you beat on its own. Once you take out that armor, it'll be completely defenseless."

"You dare compare me to that brat?!" The Shadow roared, "I'll show you… I'll kill you all!"

The Shadow let loose a salvo of webbing and gunshots at the group. Farran leapt back, having the Musketeer take aim at the crack that had been left by Minotaur. Yang and Ruby gave him cover, Pele burning up the webs, and Lupa's wind diverting the course of the bullets. When the Musketeer finally locked onto his target, he pulled the trigger of his musket, letting loose a fireball that careened through the air towards the Shadow. It struck true, exploding just inside the crack in its plate armor, causing the whole shell, pistol and all, to shatter and fall away. While the Shadow was still stunned, Yang ordered Pele to launch a fireball at the main web it rested on, burning it to ash, and causing Shadow Richards to collapse on the ground.

"You… You haven't won…" It grunted as it wretched back to its feet, "I have come too far… to die here."

The Shadow shot from its side of the hall, speeding towards the group with all the force of a freight train. Each step crashed through the marble floor and what was left of the red carpet.

"You got any ideas Ruby?" Farran got low and flared his wings back out, preparing for the Shadow that would soon be baring down on them.

"Would I be as good of a leader as you say I am if I didn't?" Ruby beamed at him, "There  _is_ a reason I had us practice, you know."

Yang smirked, punching her open palm, "Alright, Rubes. The call's on you, let's take this bastard down."

Ruby stared down the Shadow, readjusting her grip on Crescent Rose as the crashing footfalls of Shadow Richards grew ever closer. She picked her spot, eying a torn portion of the carpet about fifteen feet away. Her body tensed as the Shadow grew closer to the spot, and once its face crossed over that bit of carpet, she sprung into action.

She summoned Lupa as she charged at Shadow Richards, "Cardinal!"

Farran flew right next to her, summoning Abel as they drew close to the Shadow. Right as they got within striking distance, Ruby and Lupa dipped low, while Farran and Abel went high, all four delivering simultaneous strikes across the body of Shadow Richards, stopping it right in its tracks, and even forcing it a few feet back. His part done, Farran flew past the Shadow, curling back above it, and waiting for his next signal.

With a predatory grin, Ruby continued to direct traffic, "Strawberry Sunrise!"

Ruby and Lupa feinted towards Shadow Richards, getting in position for Yang and Pele, who were following close behind them. Persona and user set the heads of their scythes on the ground in front of them. Yang jumped on Crescent Rose, while Pele leapt onto Lupa's scythe. With the pieces in place, Ruby heaved, commanding Lupa to do the same, sending Yang and Pele up through Shadow Richards's face with stereo uppercuts. The force of Pele's flaming fists, as well as the near cannon blast of Ember Celica, knocked the Shadow clear on its back as the two ascended. Yang took a deep breath, watching Pele dissipate in front of her as she soared through the air.

Ruby waited until Yang had just about reached Farran before she belted out her final command, "Phoenix!"

Farran reached down below him, grabbing Yang by the wrists. With a grunt, he flapped his wings, causing them to whirl around again and again. He looked Yang dead in the eye, watching as her hair started to glow and her eyes changed from violet to blood red. With one last cocky grin, she gave him a nod, prompting him to release her. She launched towards the Shadow, torqueing her body around to face it, and readying every last ounce of energy she had been storing with her Semblance, and prepping a round in Ember Celica's chamber. She timed everything up, and just as she reached the Spider, she threw her punch. Yang crashed through the Shadow, golden energy exploding from her and filling the room, causing all of the monitors on the walls to shatter, their glass falling and smashing on the floor.

When the burst of light from Yang's attack finally faded, Shadow Richards had already reverted to his normal form. Yang grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, dragged him over to the wall, and slammed him against it, holding her fist cocked back slightly. The barrel of Ember Celica continued to let off a small trail of smoke off into the air as she primed it, ready to strike if he moved.

"H-Hold on, now! You win!" Shadow Richards pleaded, "You win, I give up. I'll turn myself in…"

"I know you will." Yang growled as the others ran to them, "But before you do, you're going to tell me everything you know about Raven!"

Shadow Richards desperately waved his hands in front of him, "I don't know anything about her, I swear! Some of my men are regulars down at Junior's bar, he does a lot of good work for us. They were there the night you trashed the place. When they finally got him to spill the beans on what you wanted, I looked up as much info as we had on her and the rest of that team in the Beacon records. Thought it might be useful to have some ammo against Qrow down the line…"

"What do you want with our Uncle Qrow?" Ruby tilted her head.

"He shows up to Beacon a lot, meets with Ozpin. I don't really know the guy all that well, just that he doesn't like me, he reeks of booze, and Ozpin sends him all over the damn place. In my line of work, you don't take any chances with a guy like that. But that's all it is, honest! I just used her name to bluff you when you were destroying my factory, that's all, so please let me go!"

"Tch. Fine…" Yang released his collar and let him slump to the floor. She folded her arms with a sour look on her face, "Guess that's another dead lead…"

"Gods, you kids are insane… Guess I shouldn't expect anything different from Huntsmen…" Shadow Richards sputtered, "Why, though? Why would all of you do this? Why would you come here and risk your own necks, just to protect some stupid Faunus girl?"

"Are you kidding me? Are you really that Gods damned stupid?" Farran spat, "Why would we do all this? Maybe cause you were planning on ruining Velvet's life you freaking psychopath! We saw everything you were going to do to her, asshole. Everything from framing her for having Diamond Dust to getting her addicted to it so you could get her to work for free. I don't give a damn what happens to me, I'm not gonna let that happen, to her or anyone else." He shook his head, his voice changing from enraged to desperate, "And what about you, huh? Why Velvet? Why all of this? Why the hell did we have to go through all this Gods damned bullshit to stop you from ruining her life? What gives you the right to even  _think_ about doing that to anyone?!"

"Why? I already told you ages ago, kid. Profit. That beast… That girl, rather, is far beyond spineless. Get something on her, and she'll do whatever you say. I've seen far more of that type than I care to count get chewed up and spit out in my field of work." Shadow Richards's laugh was filled with self loathing, "None of you could ever understand. You and I come from completely different worlds, after all. It isn't that I think I had the  _right_  to do that to her, it's that in my world, I didn't have a choice. In my world, the only thing that matters is how much Lien you can get, nothing else, and a golden opportunity for free Lien like her is far too good to pass up. See, I grew up on the streets of Atlas. In that city, you're either loaded, or you have nothing. There's no in-between, and when you grow up as a have-not, all the Haves will do what they can to stomp you out. Choose between working whatever factory has the lowest injury rate among workers or living on the streets, if you know what I mean."

"Which is why you decided to join the Mafia?" Yang muttered.

"Exactly. It was the only way out of that hell. We weren't as big then as we are now, which is why they let someone as young as I was in, even if it was only for smaller jobs. Even then, that life isn't normal. You lose a bit of your humanity ever single day, just so you can do the things that are necessary to survive. I sold my first bag of Diamond Dust the day after my thirteenth birthday. When I was fifteen, I made my first hit. A Faunus from a rival gang that was encroaching on our territory. We wanted to send a message, and the poor guy got caught up in the worst possible situation. I can still remember everything about that day, but I'll spare you the messy details. The point is, by the time I was of age and could graduate from an expendable kid to a full fledged member, I had completely given up any sort of morality. I had to."

"I'm… I'm sorry to hear that." Ruby frowned slightly, "I really am."

"Ha. Don't be. I don't feel bad about a single thing I've done in life, and I'll never apologize for it. Given the chance to change anything, I'd just do everything the same way. That was the only way I survived, after all. The only reason I'm telling you any of this is cause closure helps you normal people cope."

Yang glared down at him, "But you're still going to confess to your crimes, right?"

"Of course. We might be from completely different worlds, but there's one rule that extends to everyone. There's winners, there's losers, and the losers have to do as the winners say. Looks like I came up short today, so I don't really got a choice." Shadow Richards let out a deep breath, and almost looked completely relaxed, "Besides, between fighting and talking with you, I think I can see a way out. Finally, after all these years. I'm gonna turn myself in, but only under the condition that I serve whatever sentence I get directly under General Ironwood. See, he's gonna be coming in a couple days to work with Ol' Ozpin to work out some last minute planning for the Vytal Festival, and I plan on working with the two of 'em to take out the rest of the Mafia. Say what you want about Jim, but the guy has gone to huge lengths to make sure none of our number ever made it into his outfit. Working with him, I can probably get away without anyone making a hit on me. At the very least, it'll buy me some time." Shadow Richards started to smile as soft light surrounded him, "I suppose this is farewell, since you won't be seeing me again after tonight. That being the case, I'll just leave you kids with this: No matter what happens to you, never let go of your morality. Losing mine may have kept me alive for this long, but you see what happened to me. It seems like such a simple thing, something I should have realized a lot sooner, and yet it took the four of you to beat it out of me. So I guess… you have my thanks."

Once Shadow Richards finished speaking, the light completely overtook him, and in a moment, he was gone. Farran stared at the spot where his foe had once sat, a sigh of relief passing through his lips. They had done it! After a long month of planning and worrying, Agni Richards's Shadow was no more, Velvet was safe, and he wouldn't have to be worried about being expelled. He wanted to cry out in joy, and celebrate with his teammates, but before he could even blink, an explosion from somewhere down below them rang throughout the whole building. The room began to shudder.

"Hey, Viola…" Yang looked over at their navigator, worry all across her face, "What happens to a Palace after we beat the Shadow in control of it?"

"To the Palace? Well…" She brought a finger up to her chin as she muttered, "Without the Palace ruler, it doesn't really have any reason to exist. So, that being the case, it might cease to exist now."

"What, you mean like it's all going to collapse?!"

As she finished speaking, a portion of the ceiling fell down, crushing Shadow Richards's throne beneath it, shaking Farran from his stupor, "Guess that answers that question. Let's get the hell out of here, now!"

Farran wrapped his arms around Viola and Yang's waists, kicking off the ground and flying through the door, with Ruby using her Semblance to speed along next to them. Bits of ceiling and walls crumbled around them as they sped through the halls, into the room with the glyph. The outside wall that had been partially blown out when they arrived had now completely fallen apart, giving them a view of the battle that even now continued to rage outside. The group touched down, landing on the glyph, and descended down and out of the tower. Just as they were halfway between the factory and the exit, and explosion rang out. They stopped momentarily, spinning around to see a gaping hole in the tower, the ear-splitting noise of tons of wrenching metal as it kinked, bent, and started to fall right towards them. Farran couldn't remember a time where he moved as fast as he did to get them all to the exit, closing his eyes as Ruby hammered the button on her scroll, enveloping them in light.

* * *

It wasn't until he heard the soft sound of birds chirping in the distance that Farran finally opened his eyes. He looked around to the familiar sights of the alleyway and the campus greens beyond it, now coated in the darkness of early evening. He released his vice grip on Viola and Yang, letting them down to the ground. The group collectively let out their held breaths as the realization that they had made it back dawned on them.

"Guys…" Yang muttered, a smile starting to crack on her face, "I think… I think we did it."

Farran let out a sharp chuckle, "Yea… We did it. We won."

He wanted to laugh or scream or something, but before he could even react, he felt something heavy slam into him. He looked down to see Ruby hugging him tightly, her face buried into his chest, "I'm so happy for you, Farran!"

"For me? Why?!" He stared at her, dumbfounded, "Velvet was the one we were trying to save, not me."

She held him at arm's length, "But you were gonna get expelled! Without Beacon, without us, you wouldn't have anywhere to go. Then what would you do…?"

"Come on, don't act like I'm completely useless on my own! I would've found some way to get by."

"She wasn't acting, Hero." Yang clapped him across the back with a smile, "But it looks like you're gonna be stuck with us for a while. Such a shame."

The four laughed, as Viola came forward and took Farran's hand firmly in hers, "Needless to say, you did well, my dear guest. All of you did. Through your own hard work, you defeated the Palace ruler, and now the future shall be changed, and your justice, my dear guest, will take its first major leap forward. As your attendant, as well as your navigator, I cannot begin to tell you how pleased I am at your accomplishment." Her smile faded, "I only wish I was of more use during the final battle. I must apologize that you all needed to protect me, rather than focusing on your objective. If only I could use the Compendium like the other attendants…"

"Don't even worry about it, V." Yang waved her off, "You kidding? One bad fight doesn't overshadow everything you did for us so far."

"Yea, what Yang said…" Ruby pouted, "You've been there since day one for Farran and me. If it wasn't for you, who knows what would have happened when Farran and I got locked up in the tower?"

"And besides, if it weren't for you, the heist would have been a bust today, Viola." Farran shrugged, "Without your mirage, I don't know how the hell we would've managed to get Richards out of his office. We need you on our team."

Viola looked around at all of them, "Thank you, all of you. It really means a lot to hear you all say that, honestly." She smiled sadly, "Now, I suppose it's time I head back to the Velvet Room. My Master will be expecting the good news of our victory, so I must bid you farewell for now. I will hopefully be seeing you all again soon. In the meantime, I suggest you all get a good rest tonight. You have certainly earned it after today."

With that, Viola said her goodbyes, and summoned the door to the Velvet Room, disappearing into the bright light within it. Their goal accomplished, Farran, Ruby, and Yang snuck back to the locker rooms and stored their weapons, then made their way back to the dorms. It proved to be a tough night for the three of them, as Weiss seemed particularly suspicious, and they could hardly show the fatigue that weighed heavily on them with her watching so closely. When night finally fell, the three of them made their way to their respective beds, and shortly after, were out cold. For Farran, in the depths of his otherwise peaceful slumber, he could faintly make out the sound of garbled words coming from the darkness of his mind.

"…You gave us…"

"…your choice…"

"…son…dead…"

"…I'm sorry pal. This is just how it has to be…"


	15. Fallout

_**April 24** _ _**th** _ _**:** _

After a week of classes being cancelled, the sound of Weiss's alarm, and the rushed movements of Team RWBY as they prepared for the upcoming day proved to be very jarring. Out of habit, Farran rolled over with a groan and flipped open his scroll. He opened up the Metaverse app, only to mentally kick himself when he saw that the timer, the source of so much dread and anxiety since his first day of class, had disappeared. Of course it was gone, they had completed their mission the night before. Shadow Richards had been defeated, and the Palace had fallen. He smiled as he pocketed his scroll and stood up, looking to get his own morning routine started.

The walk to the lecture hall would have been quiet, save for the occasional yawn from one of their number, if it weren't for Weiss grilling them over the readings they had been assigned over the impromptu break. Ever the stickler for academics, she wanted to make sure no one on her team had started to slack off.

"…And Farran, you made absolutely sure you went over the assignment for Dust Studies?" She stared at him with a frown, "I know you were having difficulty with it earlier in the week."

"Yes, Weiss. Went over it before I went to sleep." He yawned.

That answer apparently didn't appease her, as her gaze stayed on him, "Are you sure you managed to retain all that information? You were hardly what I would consider attentive last night."

"I'm fine Weiss. Besides, you went over it with me plenty of times when classes were out. I'm pretty sure it's been drilled into my head by now."

"I only ask because you were still struggling during our review on wind dust. I'm not trying to harp on you, Farran, but your knowledge about dust hasn't been coming along as fast as I'd like quite yet."

Yang rolled her eyes, "Come on, Ice Queen. Just give him a break. I've seen you two studying, and I know he's been working as hard as he can on it. Besides, it's too early in the morning to be worrying about all that stuff."

Weiss scoffed, "Well, forgive me for worrying about our grades! Need I remind you that midterms are in eleven days? We hardly have time to slack off in our studies."

"I know all that, Weiss. I'm doing my best with studying too, we all are. The thing is though," She let out a long yawn, "It's seven in the morning, and we have a long day ahead of us as it is. Can't you just give us a bit of a break, especially since classes are just starting up again today, before you start raking us over the coals?"

Weiss folded her arms, "I suppose you're right. Just don't expect me to be going easy on you as we get closer to exams. I'm serious about wanting our whole team to succeed."

The group turned the corner down the small corridor to the lecture halls, only to see the familiar lime green hair of Doctor Oobleck hovering above a small group of their classmates outside the door. Behind them, the lecture hall sat unusually empty, as by this point in the morning, it would typically be around halfway filled. He directed the group of students away from the lecture halls, taking a long gulp from his trusty thermos once he had some breathing room.

"Good morning, Doctor Oobleck." Ruby gave a cheery greeting as they approached, "Is that the Suli Mountain blend today?"

"Very good, Miss Rose! I knew I could get you to appreciate the finer points of coffee, even if you still load yours down with sugar." Oobleck rambled on at his usual fast pace, "Indeed, I just received a few fresh bags from one of my former students who works on the Suli Mountains, keeping the orchards safe from Grimm. If you would like, you and Miss Schnee may have one, you both seem like you would appreciate the flavor."

"That sounds heavenly, Doctor Oobleck. Thank you." Weiss peeked around his shoulder to the empty classroom, "But, I'm curious, why is the lecture hall empty? Classes do start again today, don't they?"

"Ah, yes, yes, my apologies. You see, classes will be held today, but instead of your typical morning classes, we have been instructed to direct you all to the amphitheater for a most important assembly. I would recommend you get a move on, it should be starting soon."

"Er… Right. Thanks, Doctor Oobleck." Yang gave him a wave, as she and the rest departed for their new destination.

"An assembly?" Weiss muttered to the group, "I have to think it's about the assassination, right?"

Blake nodded, "What else could it be about? Nothing else newsworthy has happened since then, and if it did, Jaune would be busy spamming our scrolls right about now."

The walk from the lecture halls to the amphitheater was rather short, and when Team RWBY finally arrived, the entire place had already filled up with most of Beacon's student body. They took up the first spot they could find that had a view of the stage, soon being surrounded by the ever growing mass of people. From their place, Farran could see the members of Team CFVY a few feet away from them, Yatsuhashi's large frame and Velvet's ears popping above the crowd. He caught Velvet's eye and the two gave each other a small wave, just as Professor Ozpin took the stage.

"Good morning." He started simply, his voice calm and clear, but still obviously tired. Farran was surprised to see the man without his usual coffee mug, "I apologize for interrupting your usual class schedule once again, however in light of recent events, I felt it best that I address some matters of the utmost importance. First and foremost, the recent attack at Councilman Unhilo's manor. "

A small murmuring came over the crowd, prompting Ozpin to raise a hand to silence them, "I am sure you all are no doubt aware of all the details available to the public on this matter. After the Councilman's untimely passing, we dispatched the third and fourth year students to the surrounding areas to protect against any possible attacks by the creatures of Grimm. Thankfully, despite the overwhelming amount of shock caused by this tragedy, the timely response by your fellow classmates, the overall damage caused by Grimm fell far below what was predicted. Also, I am very pleased to announce that throughout the last week, there was not one death caused by a creature of Grimm in any of our response areas."

An uproar of cheers and whooping erupted throughout the amphitheater. Even Farran couldn't help but join in the adulation. An obvious, but important, point that was always stressed throughout Beacon's Emergency Response courses was that a Huntsman's first priority when responding to a situation is preventing loss of life. For the upperclassmen to have managed to have prevented any all throughout the week, after such a major event, was nothing short of phenomenal. Ozpin gave the crowd a few seconds, then raised his hand again to reign them in.

"I hate to interrupt your cheering, as you all have every right to celebrate, however we have much to cover today. I will encourage all of you to continue to be vigilant, and ready for action at a moments notice. While the stir caused by the Councilman's passing has started to quiet down, the election for his replacement will soon be at hand. I'm sure I need not remind you, but with any election, people with differing opinions speak up, tempers flare, and negativity persists. And, while I encourage all of you who are able to participate to do so, please remember to be discreet about your personal opinions. We are meant to be protectors of peace, and our position is not one where we should be attempting to sway public opinion. Doing so would cause those of differing viewpoints to lose faith in Huntsmen and Huntresses."

"Now, for a topic I'm sure you're all excited to hear about: The Vytal Festival. Due to the number of incidents in recent years, many have been wondering whether or not the Vytal Festival will still occur this year. I can assure you that the Festival and Tournament will still be taking place, right here in Vale. However, with the safety of students from the other Academies in mind, the Council and I have been working with the other Headmasters to adjust travel arrangements. We decided that it would be for the best to have those traveling students traveling to Vale on our own soil as soon as possible. Therefore, the other students will not be arriving at the end of summer as previously planned. Instead, we will be having ships arriving periodically throughout the next few months until the beginning of summer, the first number of which will be arriving as soon as tomorrow." There were a number of gasps, and outcries of people surprised at the sudden change, all silenced as Ozpin raised his hand yet again, "I understand this is a surprise, however this plan has been in the works as a precautionary measure sincere the last Vytal Festival. Due to this change, you will start to see members of the other Academies utilizing our classrooms and other facilities during their stay, but I assure you we are well enough equipped to handle their needs without causing any difficulties or delays for all of you. It is my wish that when they arrive, you would all give them a warm welcome, and ideally attempt to befriend a few. They may be your rivals in the tournament, but they are still training to become Huntsmen and Huntresses, just as you all are. Some day, they will be your allies, the same as any of your classmates."

Farran wasn't sure if it was a trick of the light, but he could have sworn he saw the sides of Ozpin's mouth twitch down for a second as he took a brief pause, "Now, prior to my arrival at Beacon yesterday afternoon, that had been all I had been planning on covering in today's assembly. However, I regret to say that recent events have added one more topic which I must address. Ordinarily, I would not speak on such matters, however in this situation, I believe it best to have a level of transparency with you all. After all, word will get out on it eventually, and I would rather you all hear it from me, than for it to be passed around by word of mouth, and have you start to lose faith in me, and more importantly, lose faith in Beacon Academy. You see, as of early this morning, Director Agni Richards is no longer an employee here at Beacon."

Ozpin remained silent as the audience broke out into an uproar of stunned reactions. For those who had been Richards's favorites, shock and disbelief that Ozpin had announced the man who had let them do as they please was now gone. For those who had otherwise been neutral to the man, many conversations broke out around the amphitheater in hushed, astonished mutters, not only that Richards had been fired, but that Ozpin had decided to announce the fact to the school as a whole. Lastly, for those who had been on the receiving end of his cruelty, as well as those who had seen their friends and classmates suffer, excitement reigned. Despite many having started to resent Ozpin for having kept Richards around, it had all been forgotten at the news of their newfound freedom. Farran couldn't help but take a peek over at Team CFVY, the sight bringing a smile to his face. Velvet had broken out in tears of joy, her hands covering her face, as Coco, absolutely beaming, had her arm wrapped around her shoulder. Fox and Yatsu crowded around her, the elation evident on their faces, trying to calm her down. He felt someone tugging on his left sleeve, looking down to see to see Ruby, her cheeks dimpled as she returned his gaze. On her opposite side, Yang had pulled her into a tight side hug, joining in the silent exhilaration of their apparent victory. While he would have loved to celebrate, this silent moment with his teammates that had fought so hard alongside him, surrounded by the excitement of all those they'd helped, was enough to leave him feeling content.

Ozpin waited for the din to die down before he started to speak again, "I know, this comes as a shock to many of you. However, throughout Mister Richards's tenure here at Beacon, there was a major failure in his responsibilities, some due to neglect, and some he was responsible for himself. It is for this reason that I have decided to discuss this with you all today. The biggest of these failings, and one I am determined to rectify, is that there is now an outbreak of the use of an extremely dangerous narcotic commonly known as Diamond Dust. This behavior is unacceptable of Huntsmen and Huntresses, however I refuse to pass the blame on any of you. The fault lies in the actions of Mister Richards, and moreover, the fault lies in mine. I am the Headmaster of this Academy, and I should be held accountable as such. Therefore, I have decided to make the decision to make you all this offer today. First, I would like to remind you all that the on-campus medical facility offers rehabilitation aid for any and all addictions, and it is completely confidential. We want you all to be at the best of your abilities, and will ensure you receive the best care possible. Second, for any of you who are in possession of Diamond Dust, I ask that you contact one of the professors at your discretion. We will insure that it will be disposed of immediately, and I assure you that you will be safe from any punishment by doing so."

"I know I have no right to ask this of you, but on behalf of Beacon Academy, I ask for your forgiveness on this matter. I am well aware of the hardships many of you have suffered, and I will do all I can moving forward to make it right. Of that, you have my word." He gave a small bow to the crowd as he finished speaking. Whether it was because of how genuine Ozpin was throughout his speech, or how open and honest he was being about a serious topic, one that could realistically cause a huge scandal, Farran wasn't sure, but not long after Ozpin finished speaking, a smattering of clapping started amongst the students, that soon erupted into a full uproar of applause. Ozpin gave them all a small wave, reigning the crowd in once more, "While your applause is wholly undeserved on my part, it is still greatly appreciated. Now, I believe I have taken far too much of your time this morning, I thank you all for your attentiveness, and wish you a good day."

Ozpin gave one last bow, and left the stage with another round of applause. A few seconds later, the crowd began to mill out of the amphitheater, making their way back to their classes. The mass of people around Team RWBY thinned out considerably, and they turned to leave, but were stopped by the sight of a familiar rabbit Faunus bounding towards them, her team in tow not far behind.

"Farran!" Velvet cried as she threw her arms around him, burying her tear-stained cheeks into his shoulder, "Oh, Gods… I can't believe it! He's gone… He's really gone!"

He couldn't help but laugh as he wrapped an arm around her, "Congrats, Velvet. I'm happy for you. Now that Richards is gone, all those people that have been messing with you should leave you alone too."

She pulled herself away, blushing slightly, "But Farran… You-"

"I'm perfectly fine. Trust me." He brought a finger to his lips, trying to signal for her to not bring up his expulsion.

"But… No, you're right. Now that he's gone, we don't have anything to worry about, do we?"

"None of the Faunus do." Blake cut in with a smile, "I can't imagine what you all are feeling right about now. This really is amazing news."

"I'm pretty sure you can imagine it, Blake." Velvet muttered coyly to herself. She shook her head, "It isn't just us Faunus, though. He would go after anyone he didn't like, regardless of race."

"Yes, he really was a jackass, wasn't he?" Yang gave her a small thumbs up, "Things will be so much better now that he's gone."

Farran dropped back a little bit, watching as Yang, Blake, and Ruby chatted excitedly with the nervous, but still very much elated Velvet. Weiss stood off to the side, awkwardly, clearly as happy as the rest at Richards's demise, but also noticeably uncomfortable. It was at that point that the rest of Team CFVY arrived, watching the conversation unfold next to Farran.

"You really are something else, hun." Coco muttered in disbelief, "I don't think I've ever seen her this happy."

"Don't know what you're talking about, Coco." Farran simpered, "I didn't do anything."

"Oh, yeah sure. You didn't do anything, and the whole fall line is going to be based around  _crocs_!"

"…I know nothing about fashion, so I'm just gonna go ahead and assume that's not something that happens. And you!" Farran shot an accusatory finger at Fox, "You are a massive prick, you know that?"

"Me?! What did I do?!" He yelped, "Did you forget that I'm the one who made that program that allowed you to do… whatever the hell you did?"

"Yea, and it worked great. Everything was going fine, the dark red screen with the whole 'confess your crimes' thing was good, and everything was going perfect. And then Professor Port started dancing on the screens."

Fox had to force himself not to double over laughing, "In my defense, I wanted something that would be immediately noticeable. That was just the first thing that came to mind."

"Giving me mental trauma like that was the first thing that came to mind?! And how the hell did you even manage to draw and animate that thing anyways?"

Coco slowly raised her hand, "Not proud to admit it, but you can blame that on me and Yatsu. Fox came to us with the idea, and wouldn't stop bugging us about it until we did it. So, Yatsu drew all the frames, and I got it all together, so our computer wiz could add it to the file."

"It certainly is not my greatest work." Yatsuhashi grumbled.

"And besides, you can call us even on that front. Yeah, it had to have sucked, but if it weren't for me, you would have woken up this morning to Goodwitch kicking your door in." Fox shrugged, "I made sure to add a little bit into the program so that it would erase a bit of the data from the cameras from before it was activated, so all the footage of you breaking in is now gone."

Farran hung his head, "Yeah, I suppose you have a point."

"Alright, I gotta ask." Coco slid off her sunglasses, hooking them on the collar of her shirt, "You went through all that trouble to protect Velvet doing whatever the hell… So, why? You already said you weren't trying to get in her pants. So why do all this?"

"What, still don't trust me?"

"Would I have put all that time into helping Fox with that little project if I didn't?"

"Touché… Well, thanks to that asshole, you guys know a bit about my past. My real one. If I'm being honest, I don't know a whole hell of a lot about who I was, amnesia is stupid like that. But it gave me a pretty unique chance to decide exactly who I wanted to be, with no real bias or other things to influence me. So, when I saw Velvet being picked on by Cardin, I just kind of decided. From there, well, that's all I've really had to cling to in terms of who I am."

Coco mulled it over, then looked at him with a satisfied smile, "You're a good kid, hun. Oi! Velvet!" She called, as Velvet's ears perked up. The rabbit Faunus spun around to face her leader, "We gotta get going. I really don't want to get on Goodwitch's bad side cause we're late, do you?" She watched as Velvet, who finally realized the amphitheater was just about empty, anxiously gave the other members of Team RWBY a wave goodbye. Coco clapped Farran on the shoulder as she started to leave, "Take care, hun. We'll be in touch soon."

He watched as Team CFVY disappeared into the slowly diminishing stream of people funneling out of the amphitheater. With one last grin at a job well done, he rejoined his teammates, and together, they returned to their morning class, much more jovial than they had been before.

The shortened morning class period passed without much incident, Doctor Oobleck speeding through his lecture at near double his already fast pace, almost as if he were trying to make up for the lost time. The second the bell rang, he dismissed the class, grabbing his a box from his desk and bolted around the room, dropping off several bags of coffee beans to a number of students, Ruby and Weiss included, before speeding off out of the room. As the members of Team RWBY made their way from the lecture halls to the dining hall, they passed by the entrance to the CCT Tower, where a surprise waited for them. Professor Goodwitch stood just outside, her eyes scanning the crowd, and once she saw them, cut through the current of people to approach them.

"Good afternoon. My apologies, but I must borrow Mister Park for a moment." She placed a hand om his shoulder, "Professor Ozpin needs to discuss an urgent matter with him. Miss Rose, I don't imagine this taking too long, but should he be late, would you please tell Professor Peach he's with me?"

"Sure thing, Professor Goodwitch. But…" Ruby tapped the tips of her index fingers together, anxiously looking at Farran, "He isn't in trouble, is he?"

"Trouble? Not as far as I am aware. You  _have_ been on your best behavior, haven't you, Mister Park?"

"Of course I have. Don't worry, Ruby. You guys go ahead and get started without me, ok?" He gave her a small wave, and put on his best smile to try to convince her. After all, with Richards gone, there should be nothing for him to get punished for, since his expulsion would be off the table. Although, Ozpin summoning him to his office was certainly unexpected.

"O-Ok, Farran. We'll see you later, then." She waved goodbye as she and the rest of the team made their way through the crowd to the dining hall.

Once his team was out of view, Goodwitch steered him up the steps and into the tower, over to the elevator. Her slender fingers were surprisingly strong, keeping a firm grip on Farran as the moved, to the point where he doubted he could get free if he wanted to. When the elevator finally arrived, she maneuvered him inside, hammering the button for the very top floor, and finally releasing him from her grasp.

"So… Professor Goodwitch." He looked to the blonde woman, "Now that Richards is gone, what happens to me? And to Velvet and Professor Peach?"

She clicked her tongue, "You know I'm not at liberty to discuss such things, Mister Park."

"I know, but-"

"Mister Park, trust me." She gave him a genuine smile, "I know you're worried, and I certainly can't blame you. But I didn't lie to Miss Rose when I told her that I was not aware of you being in trouble. If Professor Ozpin truly plans to follow through with Richards plan to expel you, he hasn't confided in me about it. That being said, it would surprise me if that were a course of action he would pursue. And I thank you for your concern about Momoka. Professor Peach, rather. I know I shouldn't be saying this, but we met with Professor Ozpin this morning, and he assured us that her status here at Beacon was not in question."

Farran nodded, remaining silent the rest of the ride up the tower, staring at the elevator's display as they rose. The number slowly increased as they ascended, passing by the CCT's main operating center, past the floor where Richards's office was located, until finally, they reached the top floor of the tower. The elevator opened, giving them access to the landing, as Goodwitch steered him down a small hallway. As they drew nearer to the doorway at the end, Farran could swear he could hear the sound of clockwork growing louder.

The door slid open, and Goodwitch pushed Farran inside, finally releasing his shoulder. They stood in a mostly empty office, decorated simply with a few end tables covered with doilies and small potted plants. Above them, an intricate set of gears that made up the very top of the tower clicked endlessly, milling about for some purpose unbeknownst to Farran. Opposite of them sat an ornate desk, which seemed to be made entirely of holo-screens, with an ornate, metal chair that seemed to be made entirely made of gears pulled neatly beneath it. The chair was, of course, occupied by none other than Professor Ozpin, who had his hands tented on the desk in front of him, a warm smile on his face.

"Good morning, Mister Park. Do come in." He reached over for his ever present coffee mug, taking a small sip from it, "How are you today?"

"I'm fine, thank you." Farran answered as he strode across the room, "And you, Professor?"

"I'm doing well, all things considered. Never was enamored with meeting directly with the Council, but with things as they are, it was necessary." Ozpin started to look weary as he spoke, evidence of his apparently long week, but he sprung back almost immediately, "I must say, it's been quite some time since you and I have spoke. Not since I 'left you to the wolves', if I remember your words correctly. I must apologize, I would offer you a chair so we could discuss how your first few weeks have been, but I'm afraid my office is a tad… ill-equipped. I rarely have meetings here that last more than a few minutes, after all."

"Oh, uh… That's alright, sir. I'm just wondering… Professor Goodwitch said you had something urgent you needed to talk with me about?"

"Ah, yes. Straight to business then." Ozpin refolded his hands on the desk, "I sent Professor Goodwitch to collect you so that you and I could discuss the announcement I made this morning about our change to the Director of Security position here at Beacon. I wanted to tell you specifically why I made this decision. You see, beyond his failure to adequately fulfill his role in that position, Mister Richards confessed to some rather serious crimes late last night, and has therefore been taken into custody by the proper authorities."

"I-I see…" Farran froze up, "I'm sorry, sir, but I'm not entirely sure why-"

"Why I would choose to discuss the firing and subsequent incarceration of one of my staff with a student, yes?" Ozpin raised an eyebrow, "I suppose it would be confusing. You see, prior to his confession, I found documents on my desk from Mister Richards, calling for your expulsion from Beacon Academy. During my conversation with him, he stated that you two had an altercation after his inspection of Team CFVY's dorm room, and that he had previously planned on framing it so that you would receive punishment. Does this sound familiar at all to you?"

"Y-Yes sir… I will admit that Director… Mister Richards, sorry, and I didn't get along, and that we did get into it while he was harassing Velvet. He said a lot of racist remarks to her, I got in his face, and then he kicked and stomped on my bad knee. But I didn't do anything to him, I swear!"

"I'm already well aware of what happened, Mister Park. You needn't worry about receiving any punishment for that incident. Professor Goodwitch has already confirmed your side of the story with me prior to our meeting today. There is, however, one other incident I need to discuss with you." Ozpin leaned forward, his gaze intense, "You see Mister Park, prior to his confession to me last night, it would seem  _someone_  broke into Mister Richards's office, and planted a virus on the computers that control the security cameras around Beacon. The access panel that unlocked his office door has been melted, and all footage taken by the cameras yesterday had been erased by the time we finally got everything back online. You wouldn't happen to know anything about it, would you?"

 _Shit, shit, shit!_  Farran did his best to keep up some sort of a neutral face, "N-No, sir? Can't say that I do. I went into town with my teammates yesterday. Well, Ruby and Yang, rather…"

"I see. You know, Mister Park, that does strike me as odd. After all…" Ozpin reached down and dug through his pocket. Seconds later, his hand hovered over the desk, dropping a number of feathers that seemed to be made of pure silver in front of him, "These were found caught in an open window frame in his office. I believe it was through this window that the perpetrator made his escape." Ozpin smiled at him pleasantly, "Would you confirm my assumption to be correct, Mister Park?"

Farran stared at the feathers with dread. He couldn't believe what he was seeing, but there they were. He thought back to his and Yang's escape from the office. He had grabbed the drive, picked up Yang, dove through the window, and flew off. It was then that he remembered that as they flew, his wing clipped the side, and he felt a slight pinch as they were flying. Thanks to the rush of adrenaline in their escape, he hadn't realized that it was the same sensation as when Blake had pulled off one of his feathers the day he first discovered his Semblance.

Goodwitch slammed her hand down on the desk, "Mister Park, I cannot believe that you would do something so reckless! The man already tried getting you expelled for standing up for Miss Scarlatina. What do you think he would have done if he discovered you breaking into his office?"

"I… I-" Farran wanted to defend himself, but found that himself unable to form words, let alone a coherent sentence.

"Please, relax Mister Park." Ozpin offered with a smile, "This isn't an interrogation. Do not think that your life here at Beacon is in jeopardy, as I don't believe you did it with malicious or juvenile intent. Although, I am one to agree with Glynda. If Richards wasn't so incensed to have discovered his office had been breached, and had she not been the one to discover your feathers in the first place, you might be in a world of trouble right now. That all being said, will you admit to having broken into his office so we can finally begin this discussion in earnest?"

Farran looked at Goodwitch, who, despite her sternness, gave him a reassuring nod. He decided if he'd already been found out, and wasn't facing expulsion, he might as well own up to it. "Y-Yeah. It was me… After I found out from Professor Goodwitch how the security panel to his office would break when exposed to high heat, I decided to take break in, and mess with his computer. I figured maybe it would spook him out of here, or something. But I did it to protect Velvet and myself, and hell, Professor Peach too. I didn't want to bring any trouble to you or to Beacon, I promise."

"And I believe you wholeheartedly, Mister Park. Thank you for being honest with me. However, there is a far more pressing matter I wish to discuss." Under Ozpin's intense gaze, Farran felt a chill run up his spine. There was something in that gaze of his, that while not malicious or evil, left him feeling uncomfortable, "How exactly did you force Richards to confess his crimes?"

"E-Excuse me, sir?"

"What are you talking about, Ozpin?" Even Goodwitch couldn't suppress the surprise in her voice.

"Mister Park, I have had the… displeasure of knowing Agni Richards for a few years now. In all that time, there was nothing, absolutely nothing about the man, that made me think he would be the type to not only confess his crimes, but to seem like he was genuinely sorrowful for what he had done. Even your actions, having broken into his office and planting that virus, were not nearly enough to force him to confess. He would most likely have remained silent unless you held him at gunpoint. Even so, had that been all, I never would have suspected you. However, on your first day here at Beacon, you had two confrontations with one Mister Cardin Winchester, due to his harassing of Miss Scarlatina. Ever since that day, Mister Winchester, a member of a wealthy, powerful, and rather haughty family, has acted as if he were a completely different person from the day he entered our academy. Two men who have begun acting as if they were entirely different people, almost as if their souls themselves had been changed, after you had confronted them. In my experience, very few things of this caliber can be attributed to coincidence. So, I will ask you again, Mister Park." Ozpin leaned forward once more, "What did you do to trigger this shift?"

Tell Ozpin about the Metaverse? Farran trusted Ozpin, that was for certain. Despite having no reason to do so, Ozpin had offered him a spot at Beacon while he was on his hospital bed. But did he really trust him enough to tell him about the other world? About his ability to change people's hearts? He couldn't get the look in Ozpin's eyes out of his mind.

"I… I'm sorry, sir." Farran shook his head, "I honestly have no idea what you're talking about. All I did was break into the office."

For a moment, Ozpin's expression was unreadable. However, when he finally looked up at Farran, it exuded calmness, forgiveness, and, oddly enough, relief, "That's a shame, Mister Park. I'd hoped you would trust me more. However, I am not one to pry too deeply into another's secrets. I would advise you to be careful moving forward, though. Even so, I would like to know just how much you know about Richards? I'm curious to know just what caused you to resort to such drastic measures."

 _So, he knows I'm bullshitting, but he's gonna let me off. I can live with that…_ "Well, I'm still not sure what you're talking about, sir. I can tell you that I know he was a member of the Atlesian Mafia, and I know that he was planning on trying to muscle Velvet into being a drug mule for them."

Ozpin stared at him, dumbfounded, "Is that so? I know about him being a member of that gang, but this is the first I've heard of him plotting against Miss Scarlatina. Could you explain in more detail?"

"Yes sir. Apparently, he planned on planting Diamond Dust in Velvet's locker. A ton of it. He was going to hang around her locker, so when she opened it and they all fell out, he could catch her 'red handed'. After that, he was going to drag her to his office, and threaten her with expulsion, but said he'd let it slide if she did a few jobs for him. From there, he would just keep pressuring her and blackmailing her to keep her in line."

"And you're absolutely sure of this?"

"Yes sir."

Ozpin pressed a number of keys on his desk, prompting a hologram to appear above it. After a few seconds, he could see the image of Doctor Oobleck. Ozpin nodded at him curtly, "There's been a problem, and I need you to take care of it for me."

"Of course." Oobleck nodded with a slight frown, "Is everything alright? There hasn't been another Grimm attack outside Vale, has there?"

"No. Unfortunately, our previous Director of Security may have left a bit of a problem in Miss Velvet Scarlatina's locker. I'm transferring the current master code for you now. Please hurry, and be discreet. I don't want any labels to be placed on the poor girl due to one last act of malice on his part."

"Yes, yes, right away." He gave Ozpin a small salute, "I shall retrieve it, and dispose of it posthaste."

Goodwitch shook her head as the screen went dark, "That bastard… I had been wondering where he disappeared to yesterday. He must have hidden it away in her locker, then disappeared back into his office."

"In any case, I commend you for telling us about this, Mister Park." Ozpin frowned slightly, "But I must ask, why did you not come to me sooner? Perhaps this could all have been avoided."

"No, sir. I don't think it could have." Farran took a deep breath, "Even if I had come to you, it wouldn't have changed anything. After all, I also learned that Richards had been using a secret of yours to blackmail you for quite some time. What it was, I have no idea. I don't even want to know. But I do know that when push comes to shove, you would have sided with him over me."

Ozpin sat back in his chair, his face weary, "I see… Thank you for telling me all this. That being the case, I certainly cannot blame you for your secrecy throughout this whole ordeal."

"I'm glad we're on the same page, sir."

"I suppose I do owe you an explanation. Yes, I am well aware of the travesties caused by that man at Beacon. It was such a simple thing, hiring him as a minor part of the security staff, but if I knew then what I do now, he never would have set foot here. The Atlesian Mafia went to great lengths to make sure his connections to them would not show up on his background check. Then, the day when Blaine Lucroy, our previous Director of Security fell ill, Richards came to me, demanding that he take the position, and revealing that he knew about the secret you spoke of. A very dangerous secret that would turn the way most everyone sees Remnant on end. How he came about that knowledge is beyond me, but I had no choice but to bow to his demands."

Farran felt himself setting his jaw, "And this secret is so important that you'd let the man do whatever he wanted?"

"Mister Park… Farran, I do hope you do not see me as a heartless monster, although I could hardly blame you if you did. What you are asking me is if I would trade the harassment of a handful of students for the potential deaths of  _millions_  of people. That is how serious this secret is. It is not a decision I make happily, but it is one I make as the Headmaster of one of the four Academies. I must protect this world at all costs."

Farran sighed, "I understand, Professor Ozpin. Believe me, I know. If anyone's to blame, it's Richards, and he's already getting what he deserves. That being said, even if you made the choice you believe is right, I'll never be happy with it."

"I don't expect you to. Just please remember, even if you can't place your faith in me, always place it on your teammates, on your friends, and on this school. That is all I ask."

"I will, sir. If there's anything I've learned from you so far, it's to trust my team, and it's served me plenty well so far. Now, if that's all you need, I should be getting back. Dust Studies is hard enough for me as it is without missing class." Farran turned to leave.

"Just one moment, Mister Park." Ozpin called from behind him in a chiding tone, "We've yet to discuss your punishment."

The floor squeaked beneath Farran as he came to a sudden stop, "Punishment, sir? But I thought you said I was off the hook."

"What I said is that your school life was not in jeopardy, and I meant it. I have no intention of expelling you. However, you did still vandalize school property, and you broke into a staff member's office. That, I'm afraid, cannot be overlooked. Therefore, I would think…" Ozpin paused looking off into space, "I would think one day's detention with Professor Goodwitch would be apt enough punishment."

"Me? Why?!" Goodwitch glared at him, incredulous, "Ozpin, Doctor Oobleck always handles detentions."

Ozpin's pleasant smile returned, "That is true, and yet, if I recall correctly, Mister Park stated that you were the one who told him about the security panel. I would think it fair, since the confidential information you shared with him was instrumental in his actions, that you take responsibility as well."

Farran could hear the sound of Goodwitch grinding her teeth. Every part of his being screamed at him to run, yet his body remained frozen to the spot. "You… Fine. Mister Park, you will come to my office one week from today, at six o'clock sharp. You will NOT be late. Am I understood?"

"Yes, ma'am. Six o'clock. Thursday. I'll be there." Farran had no interest in learning what would happen if he were late, her prior comment of witches cutting off tongues flashing through his mind.

"Very good. Now, I would advise you return to class. Professor Peach is in much better spirits today, and I would hate to ruin that by you being tardy. You are excused, Mister Park."

Farran mumbled what sounded like an affirmative response, and quickly made his way out the door and to the elevator. When the doors closed around him, and the elevator started to descend, placing him safely out of Goodwitch's reach, he let out a deep breath and leaned up against the elevator wall, thinking back on the more important parts of that previous meeting. Ozpin knew what he was doing, that he was responsible for Richards and Cardin's change of hearts, although he didn't know the specifics on how it was achieved. Even though Ozpin clearly wanted to know about his power, the man let him keep his secret, but whether it was out of kindness and respect or something else, he had no idea. He decided that Ozpin was clearly a hard man to read, but ultimately, the man seemed to have good intentions in mind. In a way, Farran felt that the meeting had brought him somewhat closer to the Headmaster. It was during that revelation that Farran could feel, but not see, the elevator stop mid-descent, as the voice in his mind rang out.

"I am thou, thou art I…

Thou hast acquired a new vow.

It shall become a Beacon in the darkness

to lead you down the path to your own justice.

With the birth of the Judgement Persona,

You have obtained unforeseen power

that will allow you to remake your Fate anew."

For once, Farran frowned at the formation of a new bond, not at the bond itself, but at the Arcana in particular. Judgement. He had continued to reserve the book on fortunetelling that he had previously borrowed from the library for quite some time, reading up on all the Arcana. Judgment, however, was one of the ones he had read the least about. He dug through his bag, pulling out a small notebook he had been using to record all of his bonds, their Arcana, and all the events that led to their formation and strengthening. He flipped to the first empty spot, and started making his note about Ozpin, determined to research the Judgement Arcana further.

* * *

Ozpin stood from his chair, grabbing his coffee mug from his desk as he rose, and moved over to the window. The bright afternoon sun shone brightly on the campus greens, the lawns for once empty of the usual mill of students, as even the stragglers would be in class at this time. He took a sip of coffee, relishing its bold and bitter flavor as he collected his thoughts.

"I know what you're going to say, Glynda." He addressed his second-in-command as he continued to stare out the window, "You think I'm up to something."

"Of course I do." She tapped her foot impatiently, "You assured me before you had me bring him here that you wouldn't punish Farran. Now all of a sudden, I have to change my plans around for him to have detention. I hope you're not planning on punishing him just because he wouldn't answer your question…"

"No, that was not my intention at all. Mister Park is a respectable young man, and I'd be loathe to prevent him from having his own secrets. Even if they would be invaluable towards our own goals. No, I would much rather Mister Park have his secrets and trust us, than risk agitating him and having him run off. He is far too important…"

"Ozpin, he's a student, not a tool."

"That, I am very much aware. And a fine one at that. Excellent in combat, though not quite at the levels of the top of his class. Above average to good in all of his classes." Ozpin let out a small chuckle, "He looks as if he will become a fine Huntsman in his own right, far more so than I imagined when we first met. But his coursework is not what concerns me, I'm sure I can leave that in his hands without worry. My concerns lie in the matters we discussed the day before his arrival."

"Right…" Goodwitch leaned against Ozpin's desk, "Do you still believe that…  _they_  are behind the attack on the Councilman's manor?"

"It's hard to say. Everything about the situation certainly fits their M.O. Although, it's impossible to say for certain without knowing the full details about the case. Regardless, whether or not they were responsible, Mister Park's safety is far more guaranteed at Beacon than anywhere else. That is my priority. And what's more…" Ozpin's attention turned from the scenery outside his window to the reflection of Goodwitch behind him, as he muttered, "To think a boy who less than a month ago had no identity of his own would turn out to be such an able catalyst. It certainly warrants further observation…"

* * *

"Cheers!"

The sound of glasses clinking together rang out in Team RWBY's dorm room as Ruby, Yang, and Farran brought their drinks of choice together. After their afternoon class, featuring a particularly sunny Professor Peach, Yang had insisted on their walk back on having a bit of a celebration that night, or as she called it a "Screw off Richards, you're a prick, and nobody's gonna miss you!" party. After she had changed from her uniform, she had made a mad dash to the store, determined to grab all her teammates' drinks of choice, as well as some ingredients to throw a quick cake together. It seemed, however, that they were the only ones in a celebrating mood, as Weiss and Blake were more than content to just relax with mugs of freshly brewed coffee and tea respectively.

"Gotta say, though." Farran looked down at his glass of ginger ale, "This isn't much of a 'party', now is it, Yang?"

She glowered at him over her own drink, "And just what do you mean by that? What were you expecting, Hero? Not like I can just run out and get a pack of beer or anything. Hell, if you weren't such a wimp about anything bitter, I wouldn't have had to run out and buy anything."

"Hey, I resent that! And no, it's nothing like that. Just seems a little… lackluster, don't you think?"

"Well I, for one, am still confused as to why we should be celebrating. The man was truly detestable, yes, and I'm not sad to see him go, but none of us ever really drew his ire, from what I recall." Weiss, who sat perched at her usual desk, took a long sip from her mug, "Mmm… Farran, you absolutely must try this blend. Perhaps it might convince you to give coffee another try. Doctor Oobleck's recommendations are always on the mark."

"I mean, I  _did_  try to invite Velvet, but her team's doing their own thing tonight. Same with Team JNPR." Yang shrugged, "Not my fault everyone's being lame!"

"And besides, isn't Richards getting fired a good enough reason to celebrate?" Ruby plopped down on Weiss's bed, "I'm glad that jerk's going to jail for everything he did…"

"Jail?" Blake, who had been spread out on her bed, looked up at her, "What do you mean, Ruby?"

"Oh… Uh, well… you know…" Ruby looked around the room, realizing she had accidentally said to much, "It was just something Ozpin said, today. You know, during his speech, and all that. When he was talking about the Diamond Dust?"

"Really?" Weiss spun around, her eyebrow raised, "I can't remember anything of the sort. All Professor Ozpin said was that there would be confidential aid for anyone who had Diamond Dust, nothing about Richards."

"Oh… Really? Are you sure, Weiss? Cause I remember… I mean, I think…"

"Sorry, Weiss. That was me. Ozpin told me about it during my meeting with him." Farran raised his hand, lamely, "That was the whole reason he called me up to his office. None of you heard this from me, I wasn't even supposed to tell Ruby, but I just sort of blurted it out earlier. According to Ozpin, Richards confessed everything to him, all the stuff with the Diamond Dust and harassment and everything. He called me up there cause I got in Richards's face when he was harassing Velvet this one time, and he wanted me to confirm what happened."

"Wait, he confessed?!" Weiss stared at him, dumbstruck, "Impossible! There's no way… Are you absolutely sure that's what Professor Ozpin said?"

"Yeah, that's what he told me. For whatever reason, he decided to confess everything that he's done, and that's why Ozpin canned him."

"Unbelievable…" She gaped, "Absolutely unreal. A man who has caused so much damage to this Academy, a man who has major connections to the drug trade, and he just confesses? It's unfathomable. I mean, obviously it's for the best for everyone, and if he himself confessed, I'm more than happy to hear he'll be behind bars, but he had the perfect situation for a man of his ilk here. Why would he just throw that all away?"

"I dunno. Maybe he just had a  _change of heart_?" Yang grinned cheekily.

Ruby's quick kick caught Yang on her upper thigh, glowering at her all too obvious comment, "Yeah, maybe…"

"I sincerely doubt that…" Weiss frowned, "After all, my sister has dealt with many of those in the Diamond Dust trade in the past during her work with General Ironwood. While she never went too deep into the specifics, they never seemed to allow the type who would grow a conscience into their fold."

"I mean, it's not like it's completely out of the question. Cardin changed too, didn't he?" Farran offered, "You're experienced with old money types, aren't you Weiss? I doubt they're any more likely to change like that."

"Well, you're not wrong about that. And in my, thankfully limited, experience dealing with Cardin, he certainly does not strike me as the type who would undergo such a drastic change either. In fact, it still surprises me to this day that he hasn't reverted to how he had once been. Even so, for anyone to just grow a conscience overnight and confess to a lifetime of criminal activity? It's just not normal. Something big is going on around here… Gods, I'm starting to sound like Nora and Jaune!"

The room fell silent until after a few seconds, a loud buzzing sound rang out. Yang fumbled through her pockets for a second before pulling out her scroll, "Sorry, that's me. The cake's just about done baking. Hey Weiss, you said you wanted me to teach you about filling and piping tonight, right?"

"Oh, yes!" Weiss absolutely perked up, "Sorry, I don't mean to keep asking you to teach me, but I've been curious about baking and designing cakes since I started learning from you. You see, when I was small, my family's cake butler made such an astounding design on one of my birthday cakes. It looked exactly like a white rose in full bloom."

"Well, I can't promise you that we'll be doing anything that fancy tonight, but I can still show you the basics." Yang laughed as she and Weiss headed for the kitchenette.

Farran moved to follow them, but was stopped when Blake spoke up, her voice pensive, "Hey, Farran… Mind if I ask you a question?"

"Hmm? Sure, Blake. What's up?"

She sat up, swinging her legs off the side of her bed, "Do you… really believe someone's heart can be changed like that?"

"What do you mean, Blake?" Ruby's eyes filled with worry.

"Well, it's just what you were talking about earlier. About Richards and Cardin… If someone were to be so far down the wrong path, do you think they could still change their heart and… and go back to doing the right thing? Turn back into a good person?"

"Blake…"

Farran took a moment to pick the right words, "I'm not sure if I really have a good answer for you, Blake. It's a little bit yes and no. Like… Cardin was an asshole, that's for sure. But for as bad as he was, nothing he did was really irredeemable. On the other hand, you got a guy like Richards, even though he did confess, I wouldn't go so far as to say he's a good person, would you? So, I guess what I'm trying to say is, it really depends on the person, what they've done, and whether or not they really regret their actions. Does that make sense?"

Blake hesitated for a few momenta, but eventually nodded. "Y-Yeah, it does. Sorry, thank you Farran."

"No problem. If you don't mind me asking, what brings this up? Everything ok?"

"Yeah, everything's fine. It's just… It's a long story, a really long one. And it's not that I don't trust either of you, but it's not something I'm comfortable talking about right now."

Farran waved her off, "Hey, don't worry about it. Just remember, if it's ever anything you do want to talk about, let any of us know."

Blake nodded, and Farran left the room, making his way to rejoin Weiss and Yang. Shortly after, the cake was finished, decorated, and served, the five members of Team RWBY each enjoying their slice. As they were eating, the decision was made that they would all go into Vale the following afternoon to see the decorations for the upcoming Vytal Festival, and hopefully witness the first ships of incoming students arrive. As the night started to wind down, Farran laid back on his futon, staring at the ceiling as he thought back on the events that had occurred since he had left the hospital. A month ago, when he was still cooped up in his hospital bed, knee and chest burning as the doctors weaned him off pain killers, he never could have imagined what would be waiting for him in his new life. Back then, he had chalked his first visit to the Velvet Room as a medication induced fever dream. And now… He looked over at his teammates, all deep in their own conversation as they went about their usual nightly routine, his lips curling up into a smile. In just a month, he had gone from a nobody with nothing to his name, to having conquered a monster in another world, saved Velvet's life, and made a number of great friends along the way. Although his journey had just started, Farran could feel the strength of the bonds he had with his teammates guiding him forward, bringing him closer, even if just ever so slightly, towards the justice he was pursuing


	16. Interlude - The Stray

_**April 25** _ _**th** _ _**:** _

"I don't understand why this is causing such a problem!" Weiss's voice shook the walls of Team RWBY's dorm room.

"That  _is_ the problem!" Blake retorted with a scowl.

Farran, Ruby, and Yang stood in the center of the room, watching their teammates bickering with each other from their spots on their beds. The day had started off relatively normal, the team had gotten through classes for the day, and made their way into town to see the preparations for the Vytal Festival while they waited for the first ships of incoming students to arrive, as Weiss wanted to get a look at the competition for the Vytal Tournament. Everything had been fine until they came across a Dust shop that had been broken into, and all its Dust stolen. The initial argument had broken out when one of the detectives on the scene had made a comment about the White Fang possibly being involved. Weiss made a snide remark about the White Fang, and Blake snapped at her.

Farran frowned at her, watching as she continued to rage on. He knew she still didn't trust Weiss, and he knew that she wasn't a fan of how the Schnees had treated the Faunus, but for her to be sticking up for the White Fang, after she went stiff as a board the past few times they were brought up around her, was shocking. He did what he could to get some sort of info from her, but the most she would say was a hastily grumbled, "She has no right to talk about them…"

The argument had taken a brief respite that afternoon, when they heard screams coming from the crew of one of the boats at the docks. A blond monkey Faunus had managed to stowaway onboard their ship, and evaded capture both from the crew, and the police. Weiss, who wasn't one to let the chance to observe the competition go to waist, gave chase after him, the rest of Team RWBY right on her heels. She never did manage to find him again, however, as she ran into a strange girl, quite literally in fact. The girl, who would introduce herself as Penny, just so happened to be another contestant in the Tournament. Weiss had started to grill her on information on the Faunus, but in doing so, used quite a number of derogatory terms to describe him, which made Blake snap. The two had argued all the way back from town, and any time their three teammates tried to intervene or mediate the situation, they would just be sent packing with death glares from both girls.

"There's no such thing as pure evil!" Blake's yelling snapped Farran out of his train of thought, "Why do you think they hate humanity so much?! It's because of people like Cardin, people like Richards, people like YOU that force the White Fang to take such drastic measures!"

"People like me?!" Weiss was taken aback.

"You're discriminatory!"

"I'm a victim!" Weiss stamped her foot. Amidst the shock of her teammates, she made her way to the window, "Do you want to know why I despise the White Fang? Why I don't particularly trust the Faunus? It's because they've been at war with my family for years. War, as in actual bloodshed. My grandfather's company has had a target painted across its back for as long as I can remember, and ever since I was a child, I watched family friends disappear, board members executed, an entire train car full of Dust, stolen. And every day, my father would come home furious. And that made for a very  _difficult_ childhood."

Ruby slunk up to Weiss, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder, "Weiss, I-"

"No!" Weiss tore from Ruby's grasp, glowering at Blake and getting right into her face, "Do you want to know why I despise the White Fang?! It's cause they're a bunch of liars! Thieves! And murderers!"

"Well, maybe we were just tired of being pushed around!"

Blake's outburst caused her teammates to stare at her, mouths agape. Farran couldn't believe it. He knew she was a Faunus, but the way she was talking… It all suddenly clicked in his mind. The reason she froze up whenever the White Fang came up, it wasn't because she was terrified od them, it's because she  _was_  one of them. Her face quickly turned from anger to astonishment to fear. Farran wanted to say something to try to calm her down, but he couldn't make a sound.

"I…" She took a step back, looking at her teammates with terror in her eyes, then bolted from the room at speeds that would rival Ruby's Semblance.

"Blake, wait!" Ruby called after her in vain, "Come back!"

"Damnit, no!" Farran gave chase, sprinting out of the dorm room.

He tore around the corner, seeing Blake's hair disappear into the stairwell. He followed, going as fast as he could with his bad knee, taking two steps at a time. It was all for naught, however, as between the second and ground floors of the dorm, Farran's foot slipped. He lurched forward, turning his body to prevent his head or neck from slamming into anything, and tumbled down the flight of stairs, crashing to a stop on the landing below. His whole body ached, and he was fairly certain he was bruised all over, but he couldn't let that stop him. Farran pulled himself to his feet, limping his way down the rest of the stares, and out of the dorm. His eyes darted frantically across the landscape, looking for some sign of Blake, but the only thing there to greet him was the darkness of night, occasionally interrupted by one of the lampposts that lined the sidewalks.

That was when his scroll started to ring. Farran felt a chill run down his spine, and the hair on his neck started standing on end. He had only ever heard that particular ringtone, a mellow aria accompanied by the soft tones of a piano, once. The first night he had stayed at Beacon. The night when the video that showed Richards plan to ruin Velvet's life first appeared on his scroll. He reached into his pocket, tentatively pulling out his scroll, holding it as if he was afraid of it. He hesitated for a moment, then another, then another, and then finally flipped it open. He pressed the app, and instantly his fears were confirmed. It opened up instantly to a video, which immediately began to play. The video began showing some place Farran hadn't ever seen before, but it looked like some unloading area down by the docks in Vale. Much like the Richards video, the top right corner displayed a date and time, this time reading "4/28, 21:30". The whole place had been destroyed, shipping containers torn open, craters caved out in the concrete, and in the middle of it all, Farran could make out two figures. The first, he recognized as the monkey Faunus from the boat, and the second…

"Blake…"

His teammate lay there, bruised and bloodied. He feared for the worst until suddenly, she began to stir. Blake forced herself up to her feet, taking in the scene with eyes wide. Then, after a moment, she started to run. The video began to change multiple times, showing different areas and seasons, but one thing remained the same, Blake kept on running. Then, Farran couldn't tell how much time had passed in the video, but it finally came to a scene of Blake sitting on top of a building, mournfully looking at the horizon.

"Well, hello there… Darling." For the first time since the video started, the sound kicked in, and Farran could hear a calm, confident voice.

Blake spun around, absolute horror in her eyes, "Adam?! What are you doing here?! How did you find me?!"

"Oh, it's simple Darling. I already told you before, you could never hide from me." The voice, "Adam", seemed to motion behind him, "Tie her up, she's coming with us. She'll learn what happens when you betray me…"

The video cut off, just as a number of people wearing White Fang uniforms swarmed Blake. The screen cut to blue static, with the words, "Without action, their fate has been decided. Will you rewrite the future?". Farran hoped and prayed that it wouldn't follow up with what he thought it might, but sure enough, his worst fears were realized. The screen cut to the countdown, reading "Deadline – 72:24:52" along with one of the few names he never wanted to see displayed on the app. Blake Belladonna.

**End of Act 1**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You'll never see it coming… :D
> 
> Hey Guys!
> 
> So, this is it! The end of the first arc of RWBY: The Hands of Fate. God, I cannot believe that I can finally write that! This has been a long time coming, and a lot of work has gone into the story so far, and every moment of it was completely worth it thanks to all of you. Your support, your reviews, everything is what keeps me going with this.
> 
> Now, before I get into the second arc, I'm probably going to take a bit of a break. *Loud booing comes from the audience* I know, I know, it's not gonna be a long one. Most likely just a week, at most two. Hell, knowing me, I might just end up saying screw it and writing and updating anyways. It's just that I've been writing this almost nonstop since June, so I want to make sure I can keep myself refreshed and ready to put out the best story possible for you guys. Especially, because I am extremely excited for this next arc, considering it's the arc that I was planning out when I first decided to write the story in the first place!
> 
> Now, while I'm gone, I do have a bit of homework for you all. See, I have an idea for what end goal I have for Farran relationship-wise, but I still want to hear all of your thoughts on it as well. So, I'm going to be putting up a poll on my FF profile (https://www.fanfiction.net/u/9403303/Inferno167) so I can get your opinions on it. Basically, I see three choices. The first, the full harem ending. Basically, Farran goes full manwhore and dates all the girls he comes across. I know some people like that kind of story, and others don't. For me, I worry that it plants him firmly in Gary Stu territory, and I doubt I'd be able to make any meaningful, romantic scenes in what's generally a comedic genre. Second, one girl in particular. Exactly what it says, Farran hooks up with one girl, and I'll include a follow up poll as to which one. Third, a Polyamorous relationship. So, I know a lot of people don't like anything Poly, but I see it as the best of the previous two. Can get serious relationship scenes, as well as the comedy that comes from a harem. For those who don't understand, imagine something like Farran x Velvet x Coco, or Farran x Ruby x Weiss x Blake x Yang, or Farran x Ilia x Goodwitch x Salem. (Ok, probably not that last example.) But that's kind of what I mean. I can't guarantee that the poll will make or break my decision, but I certainly will take it heavily into consideration.
> 
> Well, that's all I have for this week. Thanks again for all your support guys, and I hope to see you all again in the next arc!
> 
> Inferno :D


	17. Prison of the Heart

_**April 25** _ _**th** _ _**:** _

"What. the hell. was THAT?"

When Yang and Ruby made finally made it outside after watching the video themselves, Yang's exclaimed question hanging heavy in the air, Farran was already wearing down a line in the courtyard, pacing back and forth. He had become so focused on what he had just seen that he almost didn't even notice his two distraught teammates join him. The majority of the video didn't bother him. While he still didn't find the sight of Blake running for her life, or getting captured by the White Fang, to be pleasant, much like the events that were to befall Velvet, he would have been fine just focusing on defeating the newly revealed Palace. However, that was where the problem arose. Blake should be the victim they were supposed to save from the Palace ruler. Everything in the video, up until the end pointed to that fact, and yet when the countdown had been displayed, it was  _her_  name that appeared above it. If that really were the case, then…

"H-Hey, Farran!" Ruby's voice broke through his train of thought, "Come on, we need to talk about this, and you spacing out isn't going to help any…"

He turned towards her voice, realizing they were standing next to him, "Right, sorry. Just… kinda shaken up a bit."

"Well then, I'll ask my question again." Yang folded her arms, "What the hell was that? I mean, it looked like that video you guys showed me, about what would've happened to Velvet. Is that another one? I didn't really watch the other one after you guys showed me, so I can't really compare all that well…"

"Don't worry, Yang. Neither of us watched it any more than we had to." Ruby patted her older sister on the arm, "But yeah, that was definitely it. Another prediction video…"

"Which means another Palace…" Farran grimaced.

"Gods, this blows!" Yang growled, "How are we even supposed to do this in three days?! We don't even know who the hell this Adam guy is, let alone what we need to do to beat his Shadow."

"Yang, it's not his Shadow that we're going after. That's the why this is a problem. Even if we don't know who the hell he is, that'd probably be a better option."

Ruby looked up sadly, "So, you noticed it too, then?"

"Of course I did. That's why I'm freaking out so much, cause I really want to be wrong."

"Hold on, you two!" Yang put a hand up, "What are you talking about? If it isn't that guy, then who is it? The monkey Faunus from the boat?" She took a look at the pensive looks on their faces, her lips curling into a frown, "Wait… You guys aren't seriously thinking it's  _Blake's_ Palace, are you?"

Ruby grimaced, "There isn't really anyone else it can be, Yang. It's her name that's with the countdown. Richards was the same way…"

"But it can't be hers! I mean, seriously, what the hell has she done? You guys really don't think she's as bad as Richards, do you?"

"No, of course not." Farran scowled, "The only thing I can think of is if she really is a member of the White Fang, but I don't want to believe that's true."

"What we need," Ruby got between the two, "Is to calm down and talk this over. Whether it is or isn't Blake's Palace, we still need to come up with a plan on what to do, because we saw what'll happen if we don't. Farran, would you mind going to the Velvet Room? We're going to need Viola, and you could ask whether she or that Igor guy can tell us more about all this."

"Sure I can, but where are we going to do this? The dorm's out while Weiss is in there, and I doubt we could find a way into the library this late at night."

"There's always the gardens." Yang grumbled, "If we go back far enough, nobody will see the fire, and nobody should be able to overhear us all that way. Would that work?"

He nodded, and the group started down the path around the dorms and into the campus gardens. When they had made it far enough in that the lights of the dormitory had been lost to the rows of trees, Farran summoned the Velvet Room door, rushing inside for some sort of answers. When the blue light faded, he found himself inside the Velvet Room, same as it always was, save for one detail. The scales held by the sapphire Lady Justice now tilted somewhat more evenly than before. The scale reading innocent, which now hung lower than it had before, glowed slightly with a small flame that had been started since his last visit. Farran opened his mouth, wanting to unleash a torrent of panicked questions at Igor, but was stopped by the feeling of a soft weight on his shoulder. He looked up to see Viola smiling sweetly at him, her slender hand delicately set on his shoulder, and he instantly felt his anxiety start to leave him.

"Welcome to the Velvet Room, my dear guest." Igor greeted behind his usual, maniacal grin, "I must say, congratulations are certainly in order on your account. You have come quite far in such a short time, and you have successfully overcome your first ordeal. And what an ordeal it was! Your foe, a master of manipulation and misdirection after a long life of crime, pitted you against what appeared to be a never-ending, invincible army, and yet you and your allies saw through his deceit, and dispatched of both Shadow and illusions quite masterfully. Well done indeed, young man. Truly, it would appear a champion against Fate has appeared. However, while praise for you and your teammates is certainly deserved, there is hardly time to relax. After your first victory, Fate now sets its eyes on a target far closer to you than before, and with a meager amount of time to work with as well."

"That's actually why I'm here, Igor." Farran took a deep breath, steeling himself, "I just… I don't understand anything about that video. Why Blake? Why is my own teammate our target? She hasn't done anything! I mean, the name at the end of the video is the name of the person's Palace that we're supposed to infiltrate, right? So how could she have one? And how are we supposed to get through all this in only three days?"

"Now, now, my dear guest. While your fears are understandable, you must keep your wits about you." Farran opened his mouth to speak again, but Igor raised a hand to stop him, "I will, of course, answer your questions. That is my duty, after all. To start, Fate is hardly ever fair. A lesson you learned, I'm sure, with the would-be victim of your first foe, and one you will continue to learn along your journey. Your teammate becoming the next victim, as well as the time you have to work with, are simply the results of her own actions, as well as those of the other major players that will be involved. As for your next question, I believe you asked whether the Palace you would be entering belonged to your teammate? I regret to inform you that is the case. Now, I can understand your confusion on this matter. The first Palace ruler you opposed was the Shadow of a career criminal, after all. However, not all Palaces belong to those who would be considered 'evil'. A Palace, you see, is simply formed by distorted desires. Those from all walks of life are capable of having one, so long as they allow their view of the world to be distorted. Your friend, I'm afraid, is no different. You will find this is hardly an isolated incident as well. After all, you are on a journey to pursue justice. Justice, you see, is not simply bringing punishment to the guilty. Much like you pardoned the would-be victim of the past Palace ruler from her unfortunate fate, so too must you bring pardon to your friend."

Farran leaned back in his chair, defeated, "So, we're going to have to take on Blake's Shadow…"

"On a more pleasant note, I'm pleased to announce that your timeline for this Palace is hardly as restrictive as it first appears. You see, the layout of a Palace is determined by two factors: The strength of the distortions, and the amount of time one's distortions have existed. Your teammate is about the same age as you, and has been able to function as a normal person, even with their distorted desires. While I cannot say for absolute certain, I am of the opinion that this Palace can be completed in the given timeframe."

"You really think so?"

"Indeed. As young as your friend is, and as week as her distortions are as far as Palaces are concerned, I do not believe you will find as grand of a Palace as the first. However, that is coming purely from my personal opinion, and you will still need to find a way to cause a shift in her distortions, else you will be unable to defeat her Shadow."

"Which means we need to find her, somehow. Right…" He thought for a moment, then nodded, "Alright, I can handle that. That's all I needed to ask, but would it be alright if I borrowed Viola for a bit? We're going to need to get some sort of a strategy together."

"But of course. However, before you leave, I have my own question for you." Igor gestured at the blonde standing next to Farran, "As I understand it, my assistant came under attack during your last foray into the Metaverse. With no real way to defend herself, you were forced to protect her, while also defending yourself, defending your teammates, and attempting to defeat the Palace ruler. Therefore, I must ask, are you satisfied with her performance? Do you wish to continue having her accompany you on-"

"Of course." Farran spoke up before Igor could finish his question, his gaze intense, "I don't mean to cut you off, but I wouldn't take anyone else besides Viola. She's been nothing but helpful since the start of all this. I'll take having to pay some extra attention to her every once in a while when we get outnumbered, thanks."

Igor chuckled, "Very well. I dare say, my dear guest, you are certainly fit for your roll. If that is truly how you feel, then I see absolutely no reason as to why she should not continue to accompany you as your navigator. Although, I will ask that you aid me in attempting to build up her self-esteem in the future. She worries far too much for her own good."

"M-Master, I…" She started stammering.

"Don't worry, Igor." Farran smiled as he rose from his chair, "She's one of my bonds, isn't she? Of course we'll stick by her."

"F-Farran… I mean, Dear Guest… I- That is to say, I appreciate your concern, however-"

"Come on Viola." Farran cut her off, spinning the girl around and maneuvering her towards the exit, "Time for us to get going."

When Farran and Viola emerged from the Velvet Room, Yang and Ruby had taken up a spot on a nearby bench, watching them with matching expressions of worry. He grunted as he lowered himself down onto a solid stump in front of them, Viola leaning up against a tree to his left. Slowly, Farran started to relay his conversation with Igor to the team. He had been preparing for Yang to explode at him when he confirmed it would be Blake's Palace they were dealing with, but the blonde remained silent the whole time, her only reaction being that she became visibly relieved when he explained that having a Palace didn't mean she was guilty of any crime. As he finished, he sat back and waited for his teammates to react.

Yang buried her face in her hands, "Alright… How are we supposed to do this? I mean, it took us four trips to get through Richards's Palace, plus Dust knows how long it took to plan everything…"

"Well, that's where the good news comes in." Viola offered, "According to my Master, your friend's Palace shouldn't be anywhere near as large as the last one. Not to mention, there we might be able to buy ourselves some time as well."

Ruby frowned, "What do you mean? I thought that the stuff in the video would happen no matter what we do, other than beating her Shadow, right?"

"Remember, the videos you all see are put together in a way that you can understand what will happen to the victim. That means that, while the events will happen if left unchecked, the events can be altered in ways, or even outright stopped altogether depending on your actions in this world. Say you found a way to prevent the victim of the previous Palace ruler from opening her locker at the deadline. Obviously, that particular event would not happen. However, you can only struggle against Fate for so long in this world before things start to move back to the original course. I hate to say it, but in most cases you can only buy yourself a few hours at most, which is why it would have been a waste of time in the last case. The amount of time we would have gained wouldn't have been enough to justify it, especially when we had a month to work with. I only bring it up now because we need all the time we can get for this Palace. The only way to permanently stop the events dictated by Fate from occurring is to cause an irreversible change in one of the people involved."

"So, say for example… Not that you would ever actually do this, Farran." Yang hesitated, "Say he had decided to kill Richards before the deadline. Is that what you meant?"

"Exactly. And the same if he had decided to kill his victim as well, but neither of those situations are plausible with any of you. No, instead you all changed his heart, a permanent change that prevented Fate from having its way.  _That_ , as you know, is our goal."

"Alright. So, what you're saying is, if we can find Blake before the deadline, and bring her back with us, we can at least buy ourselves a little more wiggle room, right?

"Precisely. And even if you can't," She pointed at Farran's scroll, "You know exactly where she will be and when. So, if she does manage to hide from you all until the deadline, we can still find her when we need to cause a shift in her cognition."

"Hmm… I think we may be able to make this work." Ruby hopped down off the bench, "Ok, members of Team RWBY and Viola! We really need to come up with a name for our group, but that's beside the point. With all this in mind, I propose that tomorrow and Sunday, we will get up early and search the town for Blake until afternoon. Then, we will return to campus and head right into the Metaverse, where we will make as much progress as we can, and then return home. On Monday after classes, we will give the town one last sweep for Blake, take care of whatever last bit we have in the Metaverse, and if we haven't found Blake by then, we'll go to wherever that part of the docks in the video is and bring her home. Any questions?"

"Just one." Yang leaned forward, "Where are we supposed to go in this time? The same alleyway as before?"

Viola shook her head, "No, the entrance this time is much different. Instead, you will need to access the Metaverse from your dorm room."

"The dorm? How come?" Farran raised an eyebrow, "I'm still confused as to how that all works, honestly. We entered the Metaverse from that alley, and ended up in the middle of campus in the other world."

"I can't really say for sure as to why, unfortunately. What I do know is that everything, as I'm sure you can imagine, comes down to the cognition of the person. Their Shadow, the Palace's appearance, the location of the entrance in this world, and where you end up in the Metaverse, all of it. I'm sure as we make our way through, things will become more clear."

"Then, I suppose we don't really have a choice but to wait and see, right? Alright then, Team RWBY, we're off to bed for the night. I'll set our alarm for six thirty, and after breakfast, we'll go looking for Blake. At noon, we'll head back to the dorm, then meet up with Viola in Blake's Palace. Unless anyone has anything else to add…" She paused for a moment, but when no objections came, she nodded, "Then we're all set to go! BANZAI!"

_**April 26** _ _**th** _ _**:** _

Just as they had planned, Ruby, Farran, and Yang got up, showered, and changed before Weiss had even begun to stir, and proceeded to the airship docks down into the city. The goal was to split up, canvas as much of the area as they could before noon, then regroup back at the airfield. Farran made it a point to stop into every shop, every café, even every alleyway he could find along his search, but to no avail. Frustration mounted with each failed stop, as it seemed that Blake had just vanished into thin air. With as big of a city as Vale was, one that naturally had all sorts of places for someone who didn't want to be found to hide, he couldn't help but start to feel the weight of the deadline starting to creep up on him. Surely there wasn't a way for the three of them to be able to search the whole city in a three day span. With the planned meeting time encroaching on his search, he had no choice but to take to the skies, scanning the rooftops for any sign of his cat-eared friend, or at least the monkey Faunus who she would be with when the events of the video came to pass. Unfortunately, by the time he landed at the airfield, he, as well as Ruby and Yang, had to return to campus empty handed. The airship ride back to campus was filled with disappointed silence.

They returned to the dorm, only to find an empty room awaiting them. With midterms on the horizon, Weiss was no doubt planted firmly somewhere in the library, her nose in one of her textbooks, rereading a passage that she had most likely memorized five times over by now. Still, her absence proved to be convenient, as the group didn't need to make any precautions or excuses for her to not discover them while they were traveling to the Metaverse. The storage closet was as stuffy as ever, the right half of the room littered with enough storage containers to make traversing through that side impossible. The trio spent a few minutes moving the clutter about, making sure there was a circle of free space in the middle of the room so that none of their belongings would be sucked into the Metaverse along with them. Their preparations complete, they moved to the center of the circle, as Yang pulled out her scroll and opened the Metaverse app. She hesitated for a moment, but pressed the button nonetheless, the familiar, blinding blue light filling the room, and swallowing them once more.

Farran wasn't sure what to expect with the new Palace, as from what Igor and Viola had said, he believed it would be vastly different than the previous one. The first difference, however, he noticed before the light had even faded. The second the wind whipping by the group had died down, he could hear the soft sound of water lapping up against rocks and sand, echoing slightly all around them. When their sight finally returned to them, he could see that they had arrived inside a small cave, well lit by a number spotlights littered around the area, their mass of power cords accumulating on one end of the cavern and disappearing down a tunnel that hand been roughly hewn through the rocks. They stood on a beach made of coarse, rocky sand, which led down to a pool of water that lapped up against the walls and the beach, the far end clearly descending far below into inky darkness.

"Where the hell are we?" Yang mumbled, slowly glancing around them, "This is Blake's Palace? It's so different than the last one…"

"I guess it is." Farran nodded, his voice breathless, "Viola said they're entirely based on the person's cognition, right? For whatever reason, Blake sees our dorm room as… whatever the hell this place is. I just wonder where we're supposed to go."

"Well, we got two options, and I dunno about you Hero, but I don't particularly want to go for a swim before we have to fight Shadows. Not to mention none of us are really dressed for it."

"Well, it's a good thing we're not going that way, then." Viola's voice came from down the tunnel. She poked her head into the cavern with a smile, "Any luck in town today?"

"No luck, unfortunately. Nobodies seen any sign of her." Ruby gave her a wave as they approached, "How about you, you find anything out about this place?"

"I have. We're obviously not dealing with anything as massive as the last Palace was. I haven't gone past this floor, but from what I can sense, they're big on their own, but there's only five of them, compared to the whole structure that made up the last one, And the Shadows, well… I hate to say it, but even if they aren't as strong as the last Palace ruler individually, they're much stronger than the guard Shadows we've faced up to this point. Thankfully, there aren't as many wandering around the place as last time, if this floor is anything to count on at least. We'll need to be careful, as always, but I honestly think we should be fine making our way through this Palace."

"Alright, that takes care of the Shadows… Hey, V…" Yang took another look around the cavern, "What exactly is this place? So type of cave system? Richards's Palace looked like Beacon and Vale, but this… I have no idea what all this is."

"Not exactly, no. From what I can tell from quickly looking around this floor, this whole Palace seems to be some sort of underground prison, and not exactly a very high tech one at that. Cells carved out of rocks, rusted iron bars, large keys that hang on rings, that sort of thing."

"That's… Well, it makes more sense then a bunch of tunnels, but why that kind of prison? When I think of prison, this isn't exactly what comes to mind."

Farran thought for a moment, "You know, I remember Doctor Oobleck saying something about prisons like this. I guess there are some left over from before the Great War. None of 'em are in use, but they're just sort of there. I wonder if there was one wherever Blake grew up."

"Ok, but that doesn't explain why a prison like this is how she thinks of the dorm. Or any kind of jail while we're at it. Is it cause she's always coops herself up in there all the time?"

"I think we'll find out more as we make our way through." Ruby muttered, "Anything else we should know, Viola?"

"Hmmm… Just one more thing, honestly. That card we got from the Salamander in the last Palace is a lot more useful than I thought." She motioned for Farran to hand her his scroll, "Even if there aren't any security panels here, if I'm right, the map should have updated for this Palace. There we go…"

She opened up the Metaverse app. The map displayed the outline of Richards's Palace for a few seconds, before it comically fell over and exploded, accompanied by a cartoonish sound effect. The remains of the tower fizzled out, soon to be replaced by an outline of what Farran assumed to be the prison. The display showed them on the bottom of five floors, with a number of Shadows mindlessly milling about the corridors in front of them. It seemed relatively straight forward, save for one thing.

"Hey, Viola. What's with this tunnel, down here." Farran pointed to the room on the display that represented the cave they were currently standing in. The floor seemed to be connected to a large tunnel that snaked underneath the ground below them.

"That? Well, it looks to be where that pool of water goes. As for where it leads, however…" She trailed off as she started dragging her fingers across the screen. The display ran down the length of the tunnel until it came to a bend, leading back up a small distance away. At the second peak of the "J" shape, the tunnel opened up into another cavern, "There. That's where it ends. From what the map says, it's some sort of… solitary confinement. Seems more like torture to me, dragging someone all that way…"

"Well, I suppose that's better than having to worry about some giant Shadow popping out of there or something." With one last hesitant look towards the pool, Ruby started heading to the passage Viola had come through, "Alright, guys. Let's get going. We need to make as much progress through this place today as possible."

They followed her in, stumbling over the rocky terrain into the entrance. The tunnel itself seemed to be naturally made, perhaps the result of some earthquake or collapse that had exposed the cavern they had entered from long ago. The walls, clumsy and irregular, slowed their progress somewhat, as at points it gave them plenty of room, others pinching together and forcing them to sidle along to get through. Thankfully, the whole way had been lit by strips of lights that had been hung on the walls, and after about forty feet, they emerged into the Palace proper. They stepped out into a massive room, walls and floors made of thick stone blocks, all lined with all sorts of moss and algae. In the center, a massive sunken hearth had been carved into the ground, long stained black from the ashes of countless fires.

Long corridors split off from each of the other three walls that, despite being rather dimly lit, Farran could make out what looked to be iron cell walls lining the sides every few feet. Pausing momentarily, Viola figured out their location on the map, and directed them down the hallway to the right. The whole area reeked of musk and damp earth and rust, giving an overwhelming sense of being underground. Their footsteps echoed off the stone walls around them, the only noise they could hear outside of their own whispered small talk, Viola's occasional directions, and the sporadic sound of water droplets falling from the ceiling to the stone floor below. The whole scene gave Farran a huge sense of unease, and more than that, dread. From the moment they had entered the prison, his heart had started beating furiously, and the hairs on his neck started to stand on end. He began to crave the adrenaline of battle in between the occasional skirmish with Shadows the couldn't avoid, as it was the only time he could feel his tension loosen up. After a while, he felt something soft slide up by his arm, hooking itself around it. He turned to see Yang, who had wrapped her arm delicately around his, giving him a sunny smile.

"What the heck are you doing?" He whispered harshly.

"Trying to get you to calm down, dumbass." She pointed at his arm, "I don't know if you noticed, but you've been shaking for the past few minutes. Everything ok?"

He looked down at his free hand which, sure enough, was still shaking, "No, I didn't… Sorry, Yang. Guess this place just has me freaked out."

She frowned, "Really? I mean, I guess it is a little unsettling. Does the idea of being in a prison just get to you that much?"

"No, that's the thing. Being in a prison isn't what bugs me. It's just…" He paused for a second, "…I guess I'm freaked out at the idea of being underground? I never really thought about it before."

"Are you going to be ok, then? I mean, this whole place is underground. We could take you back to the entrance if it's gonna be that big of a deal."

"No, I'm fine. When we're fighting, I can completely forget about it and everything, but other than that, it just… You know."

She let go of his arm to ruffle his hair, "Then, I guess it's gonna be something we have to work on as a team. Can't have you passing out in the middle of a mission if we have to go underground, now can we? Until then, just focus on me, Rubes, and V. I promise you'll be alright as long as you're with us, Hero."

"I'll try… Thanks Yang."

Throughout their trek, it seemed that every single hallway they took were lined with cells, their bars all rusted to the point one might be able to break them off with little force. Their darkened interiors all stood empty, save for being furnished by ancient steel beds, chamber pots, and the occasional wooden chair. Many even lacked doors, which had fallen off their hinges into the cells long ago. Every so often, the darkness in the cells proved useful, as the group would have to dive inside, taking refuge under or behind the metal cots to hide from a patrolling Shadow. On one such occasion, Farran peeked from behind his metal hiding place to watch a conversation taking place outside the cell between two Shadows.

He was surprised to find that even the Shadows had taken on a different appearance in this Palace. Whereas before, the Shadows had looked much like stereotypical gangsters, albeit with masquerade masks, these wore black, hooded clothes underneath a white cloak that draped down to their legs, and both wore steel masks that resembled the creatures of Grimm. If the masks weren't damning evidence on their own, their cloaks certainly were, as both had the silhouette of a Beowolf's head painted on the back in blood red, the unmistakable mark of the White Fang. The first, which looked female, carried a sword on its hip, while the other, a male, had a rifle holstered on its back which it slid down to the floor, allowing the Shadow to lean up against the cell's iron bars.

"Careful where you're leaning." The female Shadow folded her arms, "Who knows how old these cells are. You'll end up in one of 'em if you don't pay attention."

The male Shadow let out a bark of laughter, "Oh, please. They may look old, but the ones that ain't junk hold the prisoners just fine, now don't they?"

"Fair enough. So, you know what the Lieutenant wants? We're supposed to be meeting upstairs in a bit, right?"

"Hell, I dunno. Probably word from the Warden, I'd have to guess. There's been talk of moving  _that_ Prisoner into Solitary, right? Guessing it's probably just telling us all what we're supposed to do to get ready."

"Gods, Solitary? What'd They do this time that got them sent down there?"

"Hell if I know, but it ain't my call. Just know They've got some bad blood with the Warden, and that's pretty much good enough to get sent down there. Hope They got real good at holding Their breath, otherwise…" The male Shadow let out a cackle.

"Ugh, knock it off with that creepy laugh of yours, will you? I hate it when you do that." The female Faunus held up a hand and sniffed at the air, "Hey… You smell that?"

"Smell what? Mold and rust? Cause that's about all I ever pick up down here. Hate it whenever I have to patrol this floor. Throws all my senses out of whack, you know? Why, what you got?"

"I don't know. This whole place just reeks of humans to me."

"Oh, is that all? Come on, you worry too much. Of course you smell humans down here. It's when you stop smelling 'em that we'll be having problems. Now come on, we gotta get moving. I dunno about you, but I don't want the Lieutenant to decide he wants to practice his chainsaw carving skills on me just cause we're late."

"If you say so…"

The female Shadow gave one last sniff towards the cell, and with a grumble, departed with her rifle-baring counterpart. Their footsteps echoed off the walls for quite some time, until finally, they died down completely. Farran, Ruby, Yang, and Viola piled out from their hiding places, regrouping together out in the hall.

"Well, that was… something, I guess." Yang stared down the hall where the Shadows had disappeared, "Those things are so damn creepy. It's weird listening to them, almost like you're listening to two actual people talking."

"Well, they're beings born from the hearts of people. It would make sense that they have some sort of conversational skills." Viola offered, "Add that to how they're as affected by the Palace ruler's distortions as everything else here, and you end up with Shadows that could pass for human. Or Faunus, in this case."

Ruby brought a finger up to her chin, "I was scared they were about to find us for a second. I wonder what the one meant when it said that they'd have problems if they stopped smelling humans…"

"Well, this is a prison. Maybe they were talking about the prisoners?" The words weren't even out of his mouth before Farran shook his head, "No, the whole floor's been empty so far."

"That's been bugging me too. That, and they kept bringing up the 'Warden'. We haven't seen any sign of Blake's Shadow so far. Could she be the Warden they kept talking about?"

"It's her Palace, she's gotta be the Warden! Think back to the last Palace, Richards was the guy in charge of the whole thing. So, it would only make sense if Blake's Shadow were in charge of hers." A goofy grin crossed Yang's lips, "Blake in a police uniform, huh? Now  _that_  I gotta see."

"Can you not be a pervert for two seconds, Yang?" Farran deadpanned.

"Screw you, asshole! I'm just trying to lighten the mood!"

"Then there's that prisoner they mentioned too." Ruby continued, "They said they were planning on taking the prisoner to that special cell under the water by the entrance because the Warden didn't like them. Does Blake really hate someone enough to do something like that?"

Yang's face dropped, "Oh… Right… I guess this all kind of confirms it, doesn't it? If she's the Warden, and her guards are all White Fang… That means she's one of them, right?"

Conversation stopped as the weight of Yang's words pressed down on them. Farran had just been following Igor's advice since their last meeting, trusting that Blake really was completely innocent, but was that all there was to it? Maybe Igor was wrong, or maybe he had purposefully left out information to keep him going on his journey, even if it meant pursuing his teammate. He opened his mouth to speak, wanting to say anything to deny what Yang had said, but the words never came.

"N-No, that's not right." Ruby finally spoke up, breaking the silence, "We haven't seen Blake's Shadow yet, so who knows what her connection to all this is. We shouldn't go doubting her until we get all the facts."

Viola nodded, "Ruby's right. After all, we can't take things from this world at face value. There may be truth behind it, but the truth is still buried in the distortions of this world. We can't allow them to get us off track, otherwise we wont accomplish our mission. I do think Ruby was onto something with the prisoner though, and that whole part concerns me. If they're seriously taking that much care with transferring them that they need all the guard Shadows to meet up to discuss the plans, that's huge trouble for us. We might even need to think about it as another deadline, as whenever they plan on moving the prisoner, and for a while after as well, our entrance here will be swarming with Shadows. We'd be overrun the second we came to this side!"

Yang, having been shaken from her slump, nodded, "That sounds like a good idea. They said they were meeting a few floors up, right?"

"Yes, they did. Right about… here." Viola held out the scroll for them, which displayed a room on the third floor she had zoomed in on. The entire room was already filled with the red dots that represented Shadows.

Yang let out a low whistle, "Yeah, I'd say it's a safe bet that you're right, V. Damn, that's a lot of Shadows."

"Then that's where we'll need to go, and unfortunately it's probably gonna have to be our stopping point for today." Ruby frowned, "With as many Shadows as they have there, going any further is going to be pretty much impossible. That being said, we still have a lot of ground to cover, so let's get moving for now."

_**Meanwhile at Beacon:** _

Weiss had never considered herself to be an "angry" person. Sure, she had less patience than most, and would become irritated by the actions of others if she deemed them foolish or annoying, but she was far from the type to lose her temper. Still, Weiss was only human, and when someone pushed her far enough over the line, she  _did_  have her father's blood in her. Which is why she had spent most of the day today in such a seething rage, that she could feel the first twinges of a migraine coming on.

Of course, how else was she supposed to feel after spending almost her entire afternoon and evening the day before arguing with her teammate? Even the thought of it made her blood boil. Granted, she may have gone a bit too far in generalizing all Faunus, as she was sure there were some that were good people, but Blake had tried defending the White Fang! Not only that, but if her outburst was anything to say about it, she was a member of that group of terrorists as well. After everything they had done to her family, that simply wasn't something she could forgive, no matter who Blake was, or rather, who Weiss thought she was.

To make matters worse, the rest of her team had decided to go into town looking for Blake before she had woken up this morning. At least, that's what she assumed they had done, as not a single one of them had thought it prudent to let her know what they were up to. She spent most of her morning waiting for them to return, but after she was forced to eat breakfast alone, she decided not to be burdened by their disappearance, opting to head to the library to study instead. Her teammates might have been willing to forsake their academics for a wild goose chase across Vale, but Weiss certainly was not.

This, however, was all for naught, as she hardly managed to get any studying done. Instead, she found herself distracted, thinking over the events from the night before, repeating them over and over in her head. The vexation that she had felt when Blake started making excuses for the White Fang resurfaced, peaking into outrage when she had gone on to claim that, not only was she as bad as Cardin or Richards, but that she was in part responsible for the actions of the White Fang. However, what hadn't been there that night that was now was the twinge of guilt she felt deep within herself just before Blake had run off. Blake had worn a look of abject terror, one that was far more than that of a criminal that had been caught red-handed. Those thoughts continued rolling over again and again in her mind, but they always ended up on that look, just before her teammate bolted for the door. When it became evident that she wasn't going to be able to study in the slightest, as these thoughts and her oncoming migraine because of them caused her frustrations to mount, she snapped her book shut, startling a nearby librarian who almost dropped the mountain of books she had been returning to the shelves. Since she had no other reason to be in the library, and studying was certainly out of the question at that point, she resigned herself to return to the dorm.

By the time the door to their room had closed behind her, Weiss's migraine was already in full effect. The whole room started spinning around her, and she felt sick to her stomach as she sunk to the ground, her face buried in her hands. She hadn't had problems with migraines for quite some time, and yet she could vaguely remember Klein, saint that he is, making sure to pack a bottle of medication in one of her bags when she left for Beacon. Not one to be defeated so easily by a measly headache, Weiss forced herself back to her wobbly legs, stumbling over to the storage closet. What she found, however, almost made her migraine even worse. The storage closet, which she had attempted to keep organized more times than she could count, had been absolutely torn apart, with the boxes and storage containers she had meticulously put into place now moved about to form a circle in the middle of the room.

"When did they even do this?!" She groaned, leaning against the wall, "I was just in here last night looking for a vial of Dust! Did they come back just for this? Oh, whatever… Medicine first. I'll just make them take care of it later or something…"

She struggled over to the part of the mess that she could recognize as her belongings as the world started spinning under her. She pulled a number of shopping bags off the top of her metal traveling case, desperate to find her medication, only to stop when she saw their contents. Momentarily free from the vise grip of her migraine, she realized that the bags contained a number of women's outfits that she couldn't recall ever seeing before. They were certainly too small for Yang, and they didn't look like anything Ruby or Blake would wear either.

"So whose…" She grimaced as the pain in her head started searing again, "Later. I'll worry about this later."

Weiss was lucky enough to find the medicine she was looking for in the first container she checked, lovingly placed at the top months ago by Klein. She greedily tore the bottle from the case, popping the recommended two pills into her mouth. Her mission accomplished, she replaced her case and the bags, determined to take care of the mess later. Pill bottle in hand, she feebly returned to the room, dropping herself on her bed, sliding the bottle into her night stand. She felt around for her scroll, flipping it open. Still no sign of her teammates, not even a call or text letting her know where they were or what they were doing. With a sigh, she flicked it closed, shutting her eyes tight in an attempt to get the room to stop spinning. While it wasn't something she would normally do, Weiss decided she didn't have much of a choice but to take a brief rest and wait until her migraine went away. It wasn't long after that the veil of sleep finally fell over her, relieving her of her pain.

_**Blake's Palace, 2** _ _**nd** _ _**Floor** _

"That… sucked…" Yang leaned up against the wall behind her, panting, "That sucked so much."

Farran couldn't help but shake his head at Yang's comment as a cool wave of energy washed over his back from one of Ruby's healing spells. He was currently sitting on one of the stairs between the second and third floors, his shirt off and laying on the ground in front of him, as Ruby fussed about behind him pulling jagged thorns out of his back and shoulders. Saying the past floor had been horrible was a massive understatement, as it had proven to be a psychologically-trying nightmare from almost the second they had ascended from the first. As soon as the heavy, oaken double doors had creaked open to allow them passage to the second floor, a harrowing tumult of groans and metallic rattling echoed all throughout the floor. The hall ahead of them was lined with steel plate doors, with small barred portholes allowing a view inside, and all seemed to be rattling off their hinges at the group's arrival. They decided to proceed quietly and cautiously, leaving whatever was causing the racket alone, until curiosity got the better of Ruby. They had made it a good distance in when their leader's scream caused them all to jump, whipping around to see Ruby lying on her back in the middle of the hall, white as a sheet.

"Z-Z-Z-Zombies!" She had stammered, pointing a shaking finger at the door.

Unable to ignore his curiosity any longer, Farran took a peek through the hole Ruby had pointed at, only to feel his stomach bottom out. There were no zombies inside, but to Ruby's credit, they weren't far off. Beyond the door was a cell, not unlike the one Shadow Richards had locked the two of them in all that time ago. The cell had been overfilled with a number of humans, all sickly, gaunt, and pale, as if they had been left in the cell to starve and rot for quite some time. A hideous odor wafted through the open hole, forcing Farran a step back to gag, Viola and Yang mimicking his actions shortly after. From what Farran could tell, although he wasn't exactly too keen on finding out, each of the numerous doors lining the walls belonged to a cell, and each cell had been overfilled with these prisoners. Suddenly, the female Shadow's comments from the last floor started making much more sense.

"So… those aren't actually real, right Viola?" Farran pinched his nose to escape the smell, "Like those robots and Faunus from the last Palace?"

"Yes, they're pretty much the same." She wheezed, "Cognitive beings. Lifelike puppets meant to mimic people in a Palace. A bit  _too_  lifelike in this case, if you ask me." She shook her head, "Come on, let's keep moving. There's no point on dwelling on them."

Farran helped Ruby back to her feet, and with one last worried glance at the cell door, the group continued onwards. The caterwauls of the cognitive beings filled the halls as they continued their trek, mindlessly groaning and slamming against their cell doors as they passed, but as their cells continued to hold, the noise they produced seemed to just fade into the atmosphere as far as Farran was concerned. These "puppets", however, would soon prove to be the least of their problems.

Their path led them through a large, cylindrical room, well lit by a number of lights hung about the walls, the stairwell to the third floor ahead of them. As they entered, the moans of the prisoners began to cease, and soon, the entire room was quiet enough to hear a pin drop. Thankful to be spared from the ear-ringing chaos, the group made their way across the room, only to be stopped as the door across from them, as well as the one they had just entered, became enveloped in thick, thorny vines. In a flash, they drew their weapons, as the vines slid to allow the female Shadow from earlier into the room, before quickly moving back to block the exit.

"I knew my senses weren't off, no matter what that damn fool said." She mused, "I'd never mistake the smell of fresh meat."

"You people are horrible!" Ruby growled, "Treating people like this… It's completely inhumane!"

"Inhumane? We're simply treating humans how they deserve to be treated." She let out a bark of laughter, "Locked in cages like animals, beaten, tortured… Sound familiar? That's how humans have treated the Faunus for decades. It's only fair that we pay you all back tenfold. A lesson, I promise, you all will learn soon enough!"

The Shadow reared back, its form becoming obscured by the usual wave of black ooze that came with their transformations. The mass expanded, as long, thin spindles started to spread out from it, making Farran think it might take a similar form to the one Shadow Richards had taken. However, when the Shadow showed its true face, it took the form of a beautiful woman, nearly completely nude save for bunches of thick leaves used to preserve its modesty, with a number of undulating vines tipped with rose buds surrounding it. The vines were covered with large, serrated thorns that almost resembled the teeth of a shark. The Shadow, as Viola would inform them, had taken the form of an Alraune, a Shadow of the Moon Arcana.

"Agh!" Farran flinched as Ruby ripped another of the thorns from his back, another wave of healing magic spreading over the wound before it bled too much.

"Oh, don't be such a baby, you dummy." She scolded, pulling out another one, "There's only a couple more."

"Besides, you don't get to complain, Hero." Yang smirked, "It's all your fault you got turned into a human pincushion."

"How the hell is it my fault?! You threw me into them!" He gritted his teeth to prevent another gasp of pain.

"I threw you into them so you would stop attacking  _me_ , you idiot!"

"That wasn't my fault, and you know it!"

Just as Yang said, Farran had attacked her, and Ruby and Viola as well, during the skirmish with the Alraune. However, it wasn't something he was proud of, and it certainly wasn't something he meant to do. While the Alraune wasn't the most combat-adept foe they had come across, in fact its only major means of self defense was to whip them with its vines, where its strength lied was a number of attacks that distorted their minds. When the battle had initially seemed to be in the bag, a bright light flashed in front of Farran, blinding him temporarily. When his vision returned, he couldn't tell friend from foe, as the Shadow, and all of his teammates appeared the same. After he had attacked her a few times, thinking she was the real Shadow, Yang decided to snap Farran back to his senses by picking him up and heaving him at the Shadow. While it had its intended effect, it also meant that a good number of the Shadow's thorns broke off in his back. As the fight continued, the Alraune showed off a number of other status inducing attacks, those that could cause charm, fear, rage, and many others. In the end, it was Yang's sharp eye that noticed a dull light that preceded the status inducing bright flash, allowing them to protect themselves. With the Shadow's main line of defense out of the way, the team was easily able to outnumber it, and Farran claimed the Alraune as his newest Persona.

"And of course you would take  _that_  one as a Persona." Yang chided.

"What? I needed a Moon Persona, and you can't deny that it'll be useful!" Farran grumbled.

"Oh yeah, cause that's totally why you took in one that looks like a naked woman." Yang winked, "Don't act like I'm not right."

"Alright, I don't appreciate being accused of being a pervert by the girl who just flirted, and tried to make out with, her own sister."

"Oh, screw you! I was charmed by that damn thing! I do NOT really feel that way towards Ruby, asshole!" Yang's hair started to glow gold, while her cheeks flushed red.

Ruby yanked out the next thorn particularly hard, "Then maybe we should just all drop it, and forget that all happened, ok?"

"Why, Ruby?" Farran raised an eyebrow, "You want to forget it made you even shorter?"

"Shut up, you dummy!" She hit him right by one of his cuts, "Oh, sorry! But it didn't make me shorter, it turned me into a mouse!" She pouted, "That doesn't count."

"I'll tell you what, Rubes. You sure looked RATtled after that attack!" Yang put on a shit-eating grin, much to the annoyance of everyone in the room.

"Well, whenever you're done getting those thorns out, we're going to need to get upstairs." Viola held out Farran's scroll. On the display, a large, dark red dot was making its way from the fourth floor down to where the rest of the Shadows were congregating, "That's most likely the lieutenant they were talking about earlier, so the meeting should be starting soon."

"Just one more!" Ruby exclaimed, ripping said thorn from Farran's back, and eliciting a sharp gasp from him, "There you go, Farran. All set."

With one last healing spell from Ruby, Farran pulled his shirt back on, and the group proceeded up the stairs as silent as possible. When they reached the landing, Farran slowly pushed the oaken double doors open, just enough to allow them to see and hear inside. The room past the doors encompassed the entire floor, and appeared to be the barracks for the guards of this Palace. Farran could see doors leading to bathrooms, a kitchen area, and sleeping quarters, but everything was open air and connected to the assembly hall that sat in front of them, filled to the brim with Shadows in White Fang garb, all eagerly talking amongst themselves. After a few minutes of waiting, the door at the end of the hall swung open, and out strode another Shadow, one about the size of Yatsuhashi, an oversized chainsaw strapped to its back.

"All of you, silence." The Shadow spoke in a dark tone, "As I'm sure you are all aware, the Warden wants our top priority Prisoner transferred permanently down to Solitary. The Prisoner is highly dangerous, so we'll need all hands to ensure a smooth transfer. By now you should all know your positions, as you will all need to be spread out along the route at every intersection. The move will be starting tomorrow night at 23:45, and we should reach the transfer point at 00:30. From there on, we will need heavy guard posted around that area, just on the off chance the Prisoner finds a way back out. We cannot afford any slip ups people! Now as for…"

Yang took a few steps away from the door and whispered, "So… That pretty much means we have to do this by tomorrow at midnight, right?"

"Well, not necessarily." Farran frowned, "We could still do it, but then we'd be neck deep in Shadows. We could probably make it through between Viola's mirages and Alraune's status spells, but getting back home would still be an issue."

"One of us could always make sure to have our scroll opened to the app, just in case. Wouldn't be the first time we left the Metaverse with Shadows after us." Ruby shrugged, "But I agree, the best idea would be to make sure we find Blake tomorrow, and get everything done before the transfer."

Viola took another look past the doorway, "It would seem that this is definitely our stopping point for today. There isn't any way into the room without us being spotted, let alone getting through to the next floor."

"That's alright. We only have one more floor before we reach the Palace ruler's chamber, right? So I'm thinking we take more time tomorrow to find Blake, then come back here once we have her. Do you think you could meet us at about five, Viola?"

"Of course."

"Still…" Yang hummed, "All this prisoner business is really bugging me. Not just the one they're moving tomorrow, but the ones downstairs too. I mean, even if Blake isn't entirely who we thought she was, there's no way she sees humans that way. She would've been much more closed off than she actually was, right? I doubt she would even talk to us if she wanted to see all humans like that. And then to almost drown someone just cause you don't like them… That doesn't sound like her at all!"

"I've been thinking about that too. This whole thing seems off." Farran furrowed his brow, "In the last Palace, we saw Shadow Richards our first day, and you talked with him when you were destroying the factory, Yang. Yet here we are, and there's no sign of Blake's Shadow anywhere…"

"Well, didn't that big Lieutenant guy… Shadow… whatever say that the super dangerous prisoner is on the same floor as the Shadow's chamber?" Ruby offered, "Maybe that's why we haven't seen her, cause she's been so busy guarding it."

"Maybe… But with only one floor left…" Yang punched her open palm with a cocky grin, "We'll definitely find her tomorrow. Then we can get to the bottom of all this and things will go back to-"

She was cut off as the Lieutenant Shadow's voice boomed from inside the room, "Which one of you left the door open?"

They all jumped, and before any of the Shadows could investigate the door, they bolted down the stairs, not stopping to rest until they reached the Palace's entrance. With their job for the day complete, Yang, Ruby, and Farran bid farewell to Viola, with the plan of meeting up again the next day after they had finished their search. As soon as the Velvet Room door closed behind Viola, Ruby pressed the button on the Metaverse app, enveloping them once again in blue light.

Ruby had warned the team that there was a chance Weiss may have returned while they were exploring Blake's Palace, so upon their return, the trio crept out of the storage closet as quickly and quietly as they could, hoping to avoid any awkward questions as to why the three of them had been in there together. What they weren't expecting upon their return, however, was to find Weiss sound asleep on her bed, despite it only being early evening, and still fully dressed as well. As they stored their weapons, Farran tried to keep an eye on his slumbering teammate. Weiss, while already pale normally, seemed to have lost any color she might have once had, and her skin was slick with perspiration. Once Yang had finished emptying, cleaning, and storing Ember Celica, she dropped down from her bed, making a beeline for the door.

"Yang, where are you going?" Farran called to her in a whisper.

She shrugged, "I was just going to make a pot of soup."

"Soup?" Ruby looked up from her attempt at quietly maintaining Crescent Rose.

"Yeah. The three of us hardly ate at all today, and we're going to have another long day tomorrow. Might as well get something good in our stomachs to keep our energy up. Soup's easy, and that's about all I have the energy to make right now. Besides…" Yang looked at Weiss. She tried to keep her face stoic, but couldn't quite hide a small, worried frown, "I dunno what's wrong with her, or if she's getting sick, but it should help make her feel better at least."

With that, Yang simply turned and left the room, closing the door behind her as softly as she could. As Farran and Ruby waited for their dinner, the dorm room was filled with the hushed sound of their weapons maintenance. Once Farran finished cleaning Silverbreak's dust chambers and storing it in its case, he tiptoed over to the side of Weiss's bed. Steadily, he placed his hand on Weiss's forehead, trying to see whether she had a fever, the silver-haired girl mumbling slightly in her sleep. From what he could tell, not only did she not have a fever, she even felt a bit cold to the touch. Maybe the Schnees have a lower body temperature than normal? As he pulled his hand away, he noticed her eyes start to slide open.

"Ngh… Farran?" She struggled to pull herself into a sitting position, "What are you doing?"

"Sorry, Weiss. Didn't mean to wake you." He rubbed the back of his neck, "Just wanted to make sure you didn't have a fever or anything. You ok? You look like death."

"I  _felt_  like death before I fell asleep." She brought a shaky hand up to her head, "Feel much better now, though. But to answer your question, I'm fine. Just had a migraine earlier and really needed to lie down."

"Sorry to hear that, Weiss!" Ruby flopped over the side of her bed, "You hungry? Yang's in the kitchen making some soup. Should be ready soon, I think."

"Soup sounds absolutely wonderful right now, actually. I haven't eaten since breakfast…" She paused as her lips curled into a frown, "Where… Where exactly did you three go today?"

"Into town…" Ruby frowned, "We went out to look for Blake, cause she still wasn't back when we woke up this morning… We just got back a few minutes ago."

"You went looking for her, and you were gone all day? You were already gone before I woke up this morning, so that's at least twelve hours!"

"Believe it or not, Ice Queen, but some of us are actually worried about our teammate." Yang's voice came from the doorway. The three of them turned to see her leaning against the door with a deep frown etched on her face, "Soup should be done in a few minutes. Just wanted to let you know."

"And just what is that supposed to mean, Yang?" Weiss huffed.

"Exactly what it sounded like." Yang folded her arms, "Our teammate is missing, and has been for almost a whole day now. Of course we're going to go looking for her. We were worried."

"And you think I'm not?" Weiss raised an eyebrow, "Why do you think I ended up with a migraine today? None of you three thought it prudent to leave any sort of note or communication to tell me where you might have been! You were all gone twelve hours, and the only sign that any of you weren't dead was when I came back to find you all tore apart our storage space."

"We're adults, Weiss!" Ruby pouted, "And we're Huntsmen too! You don't need to worry about us when we're just going into town."

"Ruby, Blake's just as much of an adult as any of us, and she's a Huntress as well. That's not the problem here. I was worried you three might run into trouble with the White Fang if you went after her!"

"Are you still on that?! We still don't know for sure whether or not she has any connection to them!" Yang glowered, "And even if she is, we're still her teammates! We can't just leave her out there. But I bet you don't even care what happens to her after you ran her out of here!"

"Excuse me?!" Weiss returned her glare, "How is it my fault?! I'll admit, maybe I took things a bit too far, but I never said a single thing to her with the intention of insulting her!"

"Alright, guys, enough!" Farran snapped, stepping between Yang and Weiss and holding up his hands, "We can't afford to start fighting one another. What matters most is that we find Blake. Weiss, whatever you think of the White Fang, I can't really blame you after what they've done to your family. And I'm sorry we didn't stay in contact with you. All of us have just been a little on edge since last night. At the same time, we don't know what Blake's connection to them is, if she even has one. We're going to find her, we're going to bring her back here safe, and we're gonna find out just what the hell is going on. We're going out again tomorrow, and the way I see it, you have two options: You can come with us and help us find our teammate, or you can stay here by yourself while we go looking for her. Either way, the three of us aren't going to stop until we find her. She's our teammate, and she deserves to be heard out at the very least."

After a moment of awkward silence, Weiss finally sighed and looked up at him, "Very well… I can hardly allow you all to take on the burden of searching for Blake without me. My personal feelings towards the White Fang aside, I would have come along today had you asked me. Contrary to what you believe Yang, I am worried about her. Perhaps not for all the same reasons, as I think it's a very real possibility that our teammate is a member of a terrorist organization, but I still worry about her, and wish to see her back here safe. That all being said, I refuse to leave at such an ungodly hour like you all did today. There is no reason for us to leave before we are properly rested and fed. Am I wrong?"

Yang's growling stomach was all the confirmation she needed. With a slight tinge of red on her cheeks, Yang looked away from the group, "I guess you have a point. But right after breakfast, we're out of here." She sighed, popping the door open, "I'm gonna go finish the soup. I'll be back with it in a minute…"

She left, and shortly after returned with a pot filled near to the brim with soup. The four of them gorged themselves on the soup, as only Weiss had eaten that day, and even then she hadn't eaten since early in the morning, before silently getting started on their usual routines to prepare for their early bedtime. When everyone settled into their beds, the soft sounds of the girls' slumbering overtaking the room, Farran found himself unable to sleep, instead staring out the window at the night's sky.  _Blake… Where the hell did you go?_

_**Somewhere in Vale** _

Kapaka Cigars. Widely considered one of Remnant's finest, this peculiar brand comes exclusively from a plantation off the coast of Mistral, and is famed for both its spicy and tangy notes, containing the flavors of hickory, saffron, and cumin. In recent days, the prices of Kapaka cigars had skyrocketed, both due to a long standing boycott organized by the White Fang over the abuse of Faunus laborers on the plantation, as well as the sudden disappearance of a gargantuan shipment of cigars that had been en route to Atlas. One of these cigars, freshly plucked from one of the crates stolen from said shipment, sat clutched tightly betwixt the fingers of one Roman Torchwick.

Cigars of this quality would normally be smoked in celebration of a major accomplishment, or at the very least among the company of elite and powerful acquaintances, and Roman was well aware of that fact. When he had originally hijacked the shipment, he had planned on using it as such, at least with the cigars he didn't plan on selling for a premium on the black market. However, he found the extravagant flavor of his ill-gotten gains to be his only escape from the demands of his newest employer. What that raven-haired brat and her two lackeys needed with so much Gods damned Dust, and where all these White Fang fleabags they had running around his warehouse came into the picture, was beyond him. They sure as hell didn't plan on filling him in on their full plans yet, but with as powerful and well connected as they seemed to be, he didn't have any choice but to comply with their demands to take some huge shipment of top quality Dust that just arrived from the SDC the day before. Hence why he found himself chewing on the end of his precious luxury cigar, finalizing the plans for the heist that they planned on executing once night fell on Monday.

The sound of knocking on his office door almost caused him to crush his cigar in half. A knock on the door this late at night was never good. His usual subordinates knew to never disturb him this late, and his employers, or Neo for that matter, would just enter without a second thought. No, it had to be one of the White Fang knocking, and for them to have reached his office without Neo slicing their throat open, it had to be important.

With a sigh, Roman spun around in his chair to face his office door, "Yeah, yeah, I'm here. Come on in, I guess…"

The door opened, and in walked a scene straight from a comedy film, as one of the White Fang Lieutenants, near seven feet tall and extremely well built, was being escorted into the room by a pink and brown haired girl, almost half his height and certainly a quarter of his weight. She kept a long, thin blade pointed at the Lieutenant's neck, the tip pressing into his skin, as she walked him over to the chair opposite of Roman, prompting the large man to sit. Her escort seated, the girl, Neo, backed off behind him, still keeping her sword within striking distance of his neck.

"Yes, Banesaw. What is it?" Roman droned, his head propped up by his hand.

"Uh… Sir?" The large man tilted his head, "You know my name isn't-"

"Your name isn't what's important right now, now is it? Or have you forgotten that my subordinate can slit your throat at a moment's notice?" He mused, watching the glint of Neo's sword behind the man's back, "But that's not what you came here for. So I'll ask again, what's so important that you decided to come and annoy me while I'm planning our next job?"

"Well, you see sir, I just got word from our intelligence network in Atlas." Banesaw gulped as Neo slid the tip of her blade gently on the back of his throat, "We've been informed that General Ironwood is heading to Vale, along with a major contingent of soldiers and ships. They're set to arrive Monday morning."

"Monday morning, which means that by the time we're planning all this, we'll be up to our necks in stiffs. How Gods damned typical of Jimmy. Can't even wait to the Festival to bring his toys with him…" Roman took a long drag of his cigar, "And you're absolutely sure about all this? He's absolutely going to be here on Monday?"

"Yes, sir. I'm positive. Apparently, Agni Richards of the Atlesian Mafia has turned himself in. He's currently on house arrest under watch by some top Huntsmen. I guess he's cutting a deal with Ironwood for his own safety."

"That so? Ol' Fire Dick's turned into a rat, huh? Guess that's why things have been so quiet on their end. Well, can't say I'm sad to see any of 'em go. Less competition as far as I'm concerned." He let out another sigh, "Still makes more problems for me, though."

"So, should I tell the men that the job's off?"

"Ha! As if. You wanna tell Little Miss Matchstick that we called off a job with this much Dust on the line, that's on you. I just got my suit cleaned, and I'd prefer to not get any ashes on it. No, I want you to tell your men that we're moving the job up to tomorrow night. By the time Jimmy and his tin soldiers show up, we'll already have the full load. Got it?"

"Uh, yessir. Right away, sir." With speed unfit for a man his size, Banesaw bolted from the room before Neo could make the decision to skewer him with her blade.

With her favorite seat in front of Roman now unoccupied, Neo skipped over to it, sliding her blade back into its sheath which doubled as an umbrella as she did so, and dropped into the chair with a pleasant smile. Roman still had no idea what pit of hell the seemingly sweet girl had crawled out of months ago when she had slaughtered a number of the goons he had hired from Junior, but he certainly couldn't complain. Ever since she'd come into his life, she'd become one of his most trusted partners, and any job he'd sent her on was guaranteed to go smoothly. For this job to go off without a hitch on such short notice, he'd need her to be at her absolute best.

"Neo, be a dear, would you?" Roman leaned forward, "Go to the docks where the shipment is being stored, and make absolutely sure that our guys are going to be handling security tomorrow night. And if they have any sort of cameras set up, or any other kinds of alarms, make sure you take care of them too, ok?"

The small girl folded her arms and pouted, turning away from Roman.

"I know it's overtime, but we don't really have a choice, do we? You heard what the animal said, we gotta do this tomorrow. So, would you please do this? For me?"

She stuck out her hand, raising an eyebrow at him.

"You want me to pay you, now?" Roman ran a hand through his hair, "Kid, you seriously need to kick that ice cream habit of yours, you know that? You're gonna get-"

He was cut off as Neo glared at him, her hand hovering dangerously over the handle of her blade.

"What?! No need to get so hostile. I'm definitely gonna pay you. I'm just saying you're bordering on being an addict at this rate. Sheesh…" He fished through his jacket pocket, pulling out a thick wad of Lien, which he handed to her, "There, satisfied?"

She shuffled through her pay, making sure there was a satisfactory amount, before pocketing it with a smile and enthusiastic nod.

"Good. Now, I'm sure I don't need to tell you, but be discreet, got it? And at least  _try_ not to kill anyone? The last thing we need is to draw any heat to that place when we're working on such a tight schedule. Other than that, I leave the rest to you. Sound good, kid?"

Neo closed her eyes, pondering his words for a moment, then gave him a cutesy salute and made her way out of the room. With that taken care of, Roman leaned back in his chair, taking another long drag from his cigar to calm him down. Tomorrow promised to be an interesting day, but without any unforeseeable setbacks or problems, everything looked like it would be a quick, solid operation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaaaahhhhhhh! It's finally done!
> 
> Hey Guys!
> 
> Glad to finally be back with another Chapter! Not gonna lie, I missed you guys so much during my break. Thanks to everyone that left reviews while I was gone, they've all been appreciated!
> 
> In the last chapter I posted, I told you guys I was gonna put up a poll to help me decide on what to do with Farran relationship-wise. I was surprised to see how many of you guys voted, honestly. The last poll I posted only got a handful of votes. After the poll, and reading all the reviews, and thinking about what narrative exactly I wanted to do with this story, I've decided to go with the Poly option. When I posted the poll, I figured that one of the options would blow the other two away, but on my last check, both the Poly and single girl options were really close, even though Single Girl one in the end. I know this might turn some of you guys off the story, and I certainly can't blame you if it does, but I will ask that you at least give it a shot before you make up your mind. And besides, much like a typical Persona game, I'm not gonna let the relationship aspect completely override the rest of the story, even if it is more prevalent in this story than the games.
> 
> As for the Personas in this chapter, we only have the one.
> 
> Alraune – The offspring resulting from a Mandrake impregnating a witch. Yeah, a very… interesting figure. I used the model from Persona 4 for it, just with a little bit more modesty. Can't get too lewd with it, now can we? :3
> 
> Speaking of the Alraune fight, if anyone's worried about Farran's comment about Yang flirting with Ruby while she was charmed: No, I am not currently planning on having Enabler in the story. If there's a high level of demand for it, maybe, but as it stands, it's not happening. I'll sprinkle in the occasional gag, just for some laughs every once in a blue moon, but that's the most I'm willing to go. I don't actively ship it, even if I hold nothing against the people that do, and I don't want to run the risk of losing readers just cause I decided to throw it in.
> 
> That all said, I'm so glad to get this chapter done and out for you all. I would have liked to get some more Blake in this one, but I think I built a solid foundation to do some serious developing for her in the next couple chapters. I think I got some things set up that you guys are really gonna like.
> 
> Oh, and to the reviewer who posted calling themselves "A Fan", offering to be a Beta reader/editor, I'd be glad to have your help if you're still interested. Just send me some way I can get in contact with you, ok?
> 
> That's all I got for this week. It's good to be back, and I hope to see you in the next Chapter!
> 
> Inferno :D


	18. The Search

_**April 27** _ _**th** _

"So… You want to know more about me."

Blake's mug of tea clinked against her plate as she set it down in front of her. She was currently sitting in the outdoor patio of the Bean There Café which, despite it's "clever" name, acted more as an inn than a café. The kindly, old goat Faunus that ran the establishment rented out rooms to other Faunus for a pittance, which is why the other occupant of the table decided to bring her here. She looked up across the table at Sun, the monkey Faunus she had met the other day. He'd managed to track her all the way to Beacon, and after she ran out of the dorm, he'd offered to help her find a place she could stay. Not that she'd had a choice but to accept. After what she said, what she managed to blurt out in front of her teammates, she couldn't go back. Ever.

"Finally, she speaks!" Sun threw his hands up in mock celebration, his coffee mug dangling precariously at the end of his tail, "Nearly two days, and you've given me nothing but small talk and weird looks!"

She couldn't exactly deny it. After she'd settled into her own room at the café, she tried to hide away inside by herself for most of the previous day. She most likely would have succeeded, had it not been for Sun refusing to leave her alone until she joined him for meals, wanting to make sure she at least ate. It even reached a point where, had the owner of the café not been such a nice man, that she would have pitched her room's telephone out the window to stop him from calling. However, even if she couldn't deny what he said, she gave him an annoyed glower for calling her out when she finally gave him what he wanted.

"Yeah. Like that." A smug grin crossed his face as he gestured at Blake with his mug.

Blake couldn't help but roll her eyes, but the topic at hand was far more important than any vexation she felt, "Sun… Are you familiar with the White Fang?"

"Of course! I don't think there's a Faunus on the planet who hasn't heard of them. Stupid, holier-than-thou creeps that use force to get whatever they want." He shrugged, "Bunch of freaks, if you ask me."

Blake took a long sip of her tea, "I was… once a member of the White Fang."

Sun gagged on his coffee, "Wait a minute,  _you_  were a member of the White Fang?!"

She took a deep breath. It was something she hadn't planned on telling anyone since she arrived at Beacon, and she certainly wasn't something she wanted to share now, but at this point, she'd come to far to stop, "That's right. I was a member for most of my life, actually. You could almost say I was born into it. Back then, things were different. In the ashes of war, the White Fang was meant to be a symbol of peace and unity between humans and the Faunus. Of course, despite being promised equality, the Faunus were subjected to discrimination and hate. Humanity still thought of us as lesser beings. And so, the White Fang rose up as the voice of our people. And I was there. I was at the front of every rally. I took part in every boycott. I actually thought we were making a difference. But I was just a youthful optimist. Then, five years ago, our leader stepped down, and a new one took his place. A new leader, with a new way of thinking. Suddenly, our peaceful protests were being replaced with organized attacks. We were setting fire to shops that refused to serve us, hijacking cargo from companies that used Faunus labor. And the worst part was, it was working. We were being treated like equals. But not out of respect... out of fear. So, I left. I decided I no longer wanted to use my skills to aid in their violence, and instead, I would dedicate my life to becoming a Huntress. So here I am: a criminal hiding in plain view, all with the help of a little black bow." For emphasis, she wiggled her ears under said ribbon.

Sun paused for a moment, then gave her a serious look, "So, have you told your friends any of this?"

She looked down in shame, "No… No I haven't. I couldn't tell them. None of them even knew I was a Faunus except for Farran, and even then, he only found out because he accidentally saw me without my bow."

"They're your friends, aren't they?" Sun frowned, "Why did you think you couldn't talk to them about any of this."

"What was it you just got done saying? The White Fang are 'stupid, holier-than-thou creeps that use force to get whatever they want' and a 'bunch of freaks'? That's the way you think, and you're a Faunus. Imagine what a group of humans would think about living with someone who was a part of a group that is now essentially waging war against their race! And even worse, one of my teammates was Weiss Schnee! Heiress of the Schnee Dust Company!" Blake stared at her reflection in her tea, "No matter what, they wouldn't let me stay…"

"I dunno, I think you're really overthinking it." Sun offered with a smile, "I might not have ever met them directly, but they all seemed like good people when they were with you the other day. Even the Schnee girl! I hung back a little bit after you guys lost sight of me, and overheard a little of your conversation. I mean, yeah, calling me a rapscallion and a degenerate isn't a great look, but it's a hell of a lot more tame than what I've been called before!"

"That isn't…. That doesn't really matter right now, Sun..." She groaned.

"I really think it does. You're convinced that your friends won't want you around, just cause you used to be a part of the White Fang. I get that. But is there any way you can be sure about that until you ask them yourself? So, let's just go talk with them. I can come with you if you want-"

"No!" She blurted out, cutting him off, "No… I can't just go talk to them. At least, not yet. There's something important that I have to do first. More so for my own sanity than anything else, honestly."

"Alright, that's a start at least!" Sun cheered, "So, what is it? Whatever it is, I got your back!"

"No, I have to do this on my…" One look at his face was all Blake needed to know he'd tag along, no matter what she said, "Ugh… Fine. A number of Dust shops around town have been robbed lately. The weird thing is, whoever's been doing it has just been stealing all their Dust, none of the money or anything else of value. A lot of people are starting to think the White Fang are behind it. I want to catch whoever it is behind it, or at the very least prove it isn't the White Fang."

"…Ok?" Sun raised an eyebrow.

"I just want to make sure the friends I had when I was still a member haven't resorted to becoming petty thieves!" Blake felt her ears wilt against the top of her head, "I know the White Fang are responsible for hijacking cargo and other things like that, I don't dispute that, but this is different. When I was still involved, there was at least a purpose to the things we stole. We were lashing out against companies that abused the Faunus, whether as workers, or through shady business practices, or politicking against us… I know what we did wasn't much better, but at least we weren't burglarizing small time Dust shops almost at random!"

"Whoa, I never said you had to explain yourself!" Sun waved her off, "I'm just curious how you plan to go about doing that is all."

"That… I have no idea, honestly. I was thinking of maybe asking around the shops that have been hit so far, maybe they heard or saw something that could give us a lead. If the police are convincing themselves it's the White Fang, I doubt they're too serious about looking into things themselves."

"Sounds like a good enough plan to me!" Sun downed the last of his drink. Come on, let's get going. And who knows? Maybe we'll run into your friends while we're out. I'd bet my tail that they're already out looking for you by now."

* * *

"Blaaaaaaaaaake!"

Just as they had agreed the night before, the members of Team RWBY had gotten up, eaten their breakfast together, and caught the first airship down into Vale that they could. As he was getting ready, Farran was surprised to find that, even though she could never be confused as a morning person, Weiss had already gotten up, showered, and dressed, all before any of them had even begun to stir. Evidently, she didn't want to take any chance of them leaving her behind again. Despite all that, as the three of them walked, calling out for Blake, she followed a short distance behind them, gloomy and looking as if she'd rather be anywhere else.

"Blaaaaake!" Farran called out, his voice starting to grow hoarse from all the yelling.

Fed up with her attitude, Ruby finally rounded on Weiss with a pout, "Weiss, you're not helping!"

Weiss clicked her tongue, "You know who could help? The police!"

"Weiss…" Ruby growled darkly, scowling as she folded her arms.

"It was just an idea!" She huffed

"Yeah, a bad one…" Ruby grumbled as she started walking again.

"Weiss, is it all of this really all so horrible?" Farran linked his hands behind his head, "It's not like we can sit back and do nothing…"

"I never said it was  _horrible_. I just think it's a waste of time!" She gestured around them, "Vale is a huge city! Who knows where she could have gotten off to by now? Especially if she is what I think she is, she might have found some shady part of town where we'd never find her. If it's just the four of us, mindlessly ambling around the city, today's just going to become a wild goose chase!"

"You know, if you thought this was all so pointless, you didn't have to come along." Yang furrowed her brow, staring Weiss down.

"Excuse me? Farran invited me to come with you. And besides, I can hardly allow you all to go wandering off into the seedy parts of the city on your own."

"Just because Farran invited you, doesn't mean anyone forced you to accept. If you're so against all this, you could have just stayed at Beacon. And would you quit acting like Blake's definitely some criminal? She's our teammate! I think we should hear her side of the story before we jump to any conclusions."

" _I_  think when we hear it, you'll all realize I was right!"

"And I think Weiss's hair looks wonderful today!" A new, but not completely unfamiliar voice called from behind them.

They spun around to see the new arrival, a pale, freckled girl with bright locks of orange hair decorated with a pink bow, wearing a grey sweater underneath a pair of grey overalls with green accents.

"Aaaah! Penny! Where did you come from!?" Ruby nearly jumped out of her shoes

The strange girl that stood before them was Penny, who Weiss had run into, quite literally in fact, the other day while they were chasing down the monkey Faunus from the boat. How she had manage to sneak up and tail the four of them for who knows how long was beyond him, but if what she had stated the other day was to be believed, Penny was actually a Huntress who would be competing in the Vytal Tournament, even if she didn't exactly look the type. Actually, the more Farran thought about it, the less her sudden appearance seemed strange. After Ruby had called her "friend" in passing, the girl had somehow maneuvered her way around a line of shops to meet them head on, wanting to confirm that she was, in fact, Ruby's friend.  _Certainly an odd one,_ Farran thought,  _but she seems nice enough._ He did, however, find himself wishing she would stop appearing out of almost nowhere.

"Hey guys!" Penny just ignored Ruby's question, "What are you up to?"

None of them were sure how to respond, or even if they should be honest with her, but eventually Yang spoke up, "We're looking for our friend Blake."

Penny thought for a second, "Oooh, you mean the Faunus girl."

"Wait… How do you know that?" Ruby stared at her in disbelief.

"Uhh, the cat ears?" Penny pointed towards the top of her head.

"What cat ears?" Yang laughed, "She wears a… bo _ooohhh._ "

Farran squeezed his eyes shut as the figurative penny dropped for the rest of his team, "So… That's a thing."

"She does like tuna a lot…" Ruby whispered.

"So, where is she?" Penny continued, brightly.

"We don't know. She's been missing since Friday…"

"That's terrible!" Penny grasped Ruby tightly on both shoulders, "Well, don't you worry Ruby, my friend! I won't rest until we find your teammate!"

Ruby gritted her teeth, trying to force a smile, "Uh, that's really nice of you, Penny, but we're okay! Really! Right, guys?"

She turned towards her teammates, looking for any kind of support, but what she hadn't realized was that once Penny volunteered to accompany them, Yang and Weiss grabbed Farran and bolted from the scene, as quickly and quietly as they could. Now, quite a distance down the street and around the corner, they finally stopped their spring, releasing Farran.

"Was that entirely necessary?" Farran grumbled.

Weiss raised an eyebrow, "What, you wanted us to leave you with her?"

"No, but aren't you guys being a little bit harsh just up and ditching her and Ruby?"

"We gotta keep looking for Blake." Yang folded her arms, "And besides, she's weird."

"And you two aren't?"

"Hey!" They both screeched in unison.

"All I'm saying is it's kinda lame to just up and leave them like that." He shrugged.

"Look Farran, I'm not saying you're wrong, but what's most important right now is that we find Blake. If there's anything Weiss has gotten right so far today, it's that the four of us all lumped up together isn't going to do much." Yang grinned, "And besides, it'll do Ruby some good to get to know another girl. They're already 'friends', right?"

"But-"

"And besides, if you're so against all this, you could just stay here." Weiss parroted Yang's words from earlier, earning a short lived glare from the blonde, "You can come with us if you wish, otherwise you're free to return to Ruby and Penny."

Farran sighed, "If I was ok with the idea of leaving you two alone to claw each other's throats out, I might actually do that…"

"Good, then you're coming with us!" Yang snickered, "Now come on. We got a lot of ground we need to cover today."

"Yes, it's as the Brute says." Weiss looked over her shoulder as they started moving, "That, and I'd rather not be here if they end up deciding to search over this way."

* * *

For Blake and Sun, their investigation into the Dust shop robberies could be considered nothing short of a colossal failure. They stopped in at every single shop that had been hit within the past two months, but nobody could give them any information they didn't already know, and most had just started blaming the robberies on the White Fang. At least, that was the case with the more welcoming of the places they visited. There were plenty of occasions in which they, or more precisely Sun, had been turned away on sight. Their last stop had been to a Dust shop manned by a petite elderly woman who, upon seeing Sun's tail, grabbed the nearest broom she could find and chased him out of the store and a good distance down the street, shouting that the White Fang wouldn't get another ounce of their goods. Frustrated, and Blake growing angrier with each "No Faunus allowed" sign they passed, the pair decided it best to return to the café to regroup.

"So, what's the plan now?" Sun hummed as they walked, hands linked behind his head.

"I still don't believe the White Fang is behind these robberies." Blake brought a finger up to her chin, "They've never needed that much Dust before."

"What if they did?!" Sun stopped in his tracks, wide-eyed, "I mean... the only way to prove that they didn't do it, is to go to the place where they would most likely go to if they were to do it, and not find them there! Right?"

"The only thing is, I've no idea where that would be."

"Well, while I was on the ship, I heard some guys talking about offloading a huge shipment of Dust coming in from Atlas."

"How huge?" Her eyes lit up.

"Huge." Sun spread his arms out wide, "Big Schnee Company freighter."

"You're sure?"

"I'm sure that's what they said, yeah. As for whether or not it's really gonna be there, or if it's what whoever's gonna target next, I have no idea. But we don't have any other leads, do we? So, what's the problem if we just scope the place out for a while, keep watch over everything."

"Yes, cause I'm sure it'll look good for a Huntress to just sneak into a private docking bay, especially when she's not on anyone's orders." Blake deadpanned.

"Hey, I'm a Huntsman too, ya know!"

"And yet, you thought it was a good idea to sneak onto some random cargo ship on your way to Vale? What are they teaching you at Haven?"

"I don't wanna hear it, alright? You're starting to sound like Neptune." He sighed, "Look, I needed to get to Vale for the Vytal Tournament, and it's not like I have a ton of Lien for a ticket. Those guys were already coming here, so I just sort of figured, why not? But all that's bedside the point! You wanna make sure the White Fang aren't the ones swiping all the Dust, right? Well, this is our best bet. And if anyone does find us, we'll just say we were on the job and had to chase someone through there. It's no big deal…"

Blake thought for a moment. What Sun said was true, if such a big freighter had come in loaded with Dust from the SDC, it would have to be the next target. This could be their one chance to absolve the White Fang of all these petty robberies. Still, she didn't like the idea of just breaking into this place. That, and she didn't want to think about what might show up there. The thought brought back memories of her last day as a member of the White Fang, flying through the Forever Fall Forest, infiltrating the train with… She shook her head.

"Think we can find a spot where nobody can find us?" She smiled meekly.

"Of course!" Sun beamed, "Between the two of us, there's no way anyone will find us there! I mean, not to brag or anything, but nobody on that ship found me until we docked. Besides, docks like this are all open air. It'll be a piece of cake. Not like we're breaking into a bank or anything like that. Come on, let's go!"

As he ran off, Blake called after him, "I really hope you're not talking from experience!"

* * *

It was Weiss's idea to head into the parts of town most inhabited by Faunus. With Blake being a Faunus herself, Weiss figured she most likely would have taken up shelter among them, and given that she had taken Gambol Shroud with her, it wasn't too hard to imagine that  _someone_  would notice a girl wearing a black bow and carrying a katana. Even so, their search had proven to be anything but fruitful so far. While most of the shopkeepers and other staff of the places they stopped to look for Blake were fairly hospitable, the moment they mentioned they were looking for someone, they all clammed right up. It was impossible to tell whether or not any of them had actually seen her or not, but Farran could tell that none of them would sell out a fellow Faunus to a bunch of humans, least of all one wearing the Schnee Family crest on her back.

"Thanks anyways!" Yang called in through the door as they left yet another store, having no more answers than when they started. She sighed, "This is hopeless!"

"We stick out like a sore thumb around here…" Farran glanced behind him, "Maybe we'd have more help if I brought out my wings?"

"Farran, I'm fairly certain that no Faunus on the planet has an animal trait made of pure silver. If anything, you'd make us stand out more." Weiss droned as she nonchalantly scanned the area.

"You really don't care if we find her, do you?" Yang's question hung heavy in the air.

Weiss rolled her eyes, "Don't be stupid; of course I do. I'm just afraid of what she'll say when we find her." She started walking again, calling over her shoulder, "The innocent never run, Yang!"

Yang's face dropped as she fell right in step behind Weiss, "Why does she have to act like that?"

Farran clapped her on the shoulder, "Well, she doesn't know everything that we do. I'm sure she'd be acting differently if she knew about the video and all that."

"I guess you're right… Hey, speaking of that, what's our time looking like?"

Farran flipped open his scroll, "It's almost four… We promised we'd meet Viola on the other side by five, right?"

"Yeah… Dust, how are we gonna work this?" She groaned, "We have no idea where Ruby is, we still haven't found Blake, and we still need to find a way to get Weiss off our backs so she doesn't see us going over there…"

"Let's start by finding out where Ruby is." Farran offered, "We can work out the other stuff from there, ok?"

She nodded opening up her scroll as well, as Farran pulled up the messaging app. Once he was sure that it was just the three of them in the chat, he hurriedly typed up a message.

**F: Hey Ruby, where are you?**

**R: YOU GUYS ABANDONED ME! :(**

**Y: We didn't abandon you!**

**F: Well, Weiss and Yang did. I just got dragged along against my will.**

**Y: Shut up, Hero. Nobody asked you. Seriously Rubes, where are you?**

**R: In the Commercial District. With Penny.**

**Y: …You guys ok?**

**R: Yeah, we're fine. Penny's actually a really sweet person. She's just… really overexcited about being friends.**

**Y: Now you know how we all felt dealing with you, sis.**

**R: I DIDN'T ASK FOR THIS!**

"So, she's ok at the very least." Farran looked up from his scroll at Yang.

She nodded, "Yeah, but she's on the complete other side of town…"

**F: So, what's the plan? We agreed to meet up with Viola at 5. Any sign of Blake?**

**R: No… And I have no idea how I'm gonna get away from Penny. I can't really get a word in.**

**F: Plus we still have to deal with Weiss.**

**R: Well… I do have an idea. Not sure if you guys will like it, though.**

**Y: …I already don't if you're gonna phrase it like that.**

**R: Just hear me out, ok? We need someone out here so that we can find Blake, but we also need to get to the top floor of the Palace.**

**F: Ruby, are you telling us to go without you?**

**Y: Not happening, Sis!**

**R: Just listen to me! If we don't find Blake, we wont be able to change her cognition, which means we can't beat her Shadow! As long as you two stay out of fights, you'll be fine. Plus, you'll still have Viola!**

"What do you think Yang?" Farran murmured, "Can't say I like anything about this idea."

"Neither do I." She frowned, "Saying not to get into combat is one thing, but that place is swarming with Shadows. Not only would we be down one Persona user, we don't really have much of a way to heal without Ruby..."

"But?"

" _But_  we don't have much of a choice, now do we. We don't have any time to be wasting trying to meet up to go do this. Even if we can do this all tomorrow, I'd prefer not to have to deal with a whole mess of Shadows from the second we go in." She smiled sadly, "And besides, I'd rather have Blake back with us and safe as soon as possible, you know? I hate the thought of her being off on her own again tonight."

"I suppose you're right…"

Farran quickly hammered out a confirmation, promising that they would send word the second they made it out of the Palace, and asking Ruby to message them if she found anything. Once he received a satisfactory reply, he flipped his scroll shut, and the two of them rushed ahead to catch up to Weiss, who had gained quite a bit of ground on them during their private conversation.

"Finally done talking amongst yourselves?" Weiss asked as their footsteps grew nearer, not even turning to face them.

"Yep, all set." Yang tittered, "We were just talking about how out of place the Schnee Family heiress looks walking around this part of town."

"You're not funny." She scowled, "In any case, I don't know about you two, but after all this running around all day, I'm starting to get famished."

"Food?" Yang looked to Farran, who just shrugged, "Sure, I could go for some. You got any idea what you want?"

"It's not so much what I want, so much as what I can afford. I didn't bring any money with me today, as I didn't believe we'd be gone for so long… I don't suppose either of you brought any either, did you?"

There was an awkward pause before Farran responded, "We weren't exactly planning on needing any either…"

"I figured as much." She groaned, "That being the case, I see no other option but for us to go back to Beacon for dinner." Farran and Yang opened their mouths to speak, but she swiftly silenced them, "I'm not debating this. Whether you decide to come back and look for Blake afterwards is your choice, but I won't allow you two to run yourselves into the ground and collapse on an empty stomach. Now, do you have any idea where Ruby is?"

"We just got done texting her, actually." Yang motioned towards her scroll, "She's with Penny over in the Commercial District. I guess the two of them just got done eating at a café or something. She said they're gonna keep looking for Blake, but she'll meet up with us once Penny leaves."

"That  _traitor…_ " Weiss grumbled. When she realized Farran and Yang heard her, she cleared her throat, "Well, I guess it can't be helped if she's already eaten. Send her another message, and tell her we'll be heading back to Beacon for the time being."

* * *

By the time Blake and Sun had found a suitable place to hide, where they could still keep watch over the docking bay, the evening sun had already started its journey down towards the horizon, casting a burnt orange hue across the water. From their vantage point atop one of the many storage buildings lining the perimeter of the bay, Blake could see a number of burly sailors moving to and fro, directing the transportation of the cargo off the deck of the ship. On the side of each of the gigantic, metal containers being unloaded, she could see the unmistakable snowflake that served as the Schnee Dust Company's logo.

Sun took a seat next to her, "So, what do you think? Was I right, or was I right?"

"Well, the SDC logo's definitely on those containers. And it looks like they won't be done unloading that freighter for a while." She muttered, not taking her eyes off the busyness below, "So it would seem your intel was right. Good job, Sun."

"You say that, and yet you seem more annoyed than happy to be in the right spot."

"Not annoyed, just… This isn't the first time I've dealt with the SDC before." Blake rubbed her temples, "I'm not proud of it, but I did take part in a number of raids when I was still with the White Fang, and some were after SDC cargo. Including my last one…" She froze for a second, then shook her head, "The problem is, every time we raided them, the SDC had gone above and beyond with security. Yet here the two of us are, sitting on a roof right above such a huge shipment, and I don't know about you, but I didn't see any guards or cameras… or much of anything really on our way here."

"Eh, you worry too much Blake." Sun laid back on the roof, lazily, "I'm sure all that stuff was there. We're just so good, we managed to sneak on up here without them seeing us or vice versa!"

"Can you be serious for just a second?" She snapped, "A Dust shipment this large should have armed guards or some sort of mech units or  _something_! Their whole setup down there just feels wrong…"

He sat up with a frown, "Look, I know you're right. Something's fishy about this whole thing, and it isn't just the bay. But that just means we're in the right spot, doesn't it? Either the group that's been doing this have people on the inside, or whatever idiots that are running this place just don't have security set up, I don't know. But the whole place is just one huge sitting duck for whoever's been stealing all the Dust. Even if they weren't planning on hitting this place tonight, I gotta think they're gonna be showing up now. Which means, all we gotta do is camp out here and wait."

"That's a good point… I guess you're right. Thanks Sun, and sorry for yelling at you."

"Hey, no problem. I know this you're completely on edge from all this, I don't blame you. Just try and calm down, ok?" Sun kipped-up back to his feet, "Now, I'm gonna go on a food run, grab us something to eat. I should be right back, but if anyone shows up while I'm out… I dunno, you do you, but try to not start the party without me, ok? Don't try and take on these guys alone."

She nodded, and Sun ran and leapt from their spot on the top of the building. She watched as she left, waiting until she saw him leap over the chain link fence surrounding the perimeter, landing out on the street and giving her a wave. When she looked back to the cargo being unloaded, her heart skipped a beat as she saw a brief flash of bubblegum pink on the opposite side of the docking bay. She slammed her binoculars up to her eyes, scanning the area for the blur, but by that point it was gone. Seconds went by, which turned into minutes, and the pink flash never reappeared, nor was there any sign it had ever been there. Chalking it up to a trick of the setting sunlight reflecting off the water, she gave up her search for the odd phenomenon, turning back to her watch.

* * *

Yang stormed into the dorm room, slamming the door closed behind her, and forcing Farran to quickly duck into the room to prevent himself from being crushed in the doorway. She had been steaming from the second they left the dining hall, almost bowling over another student who hadn't been paying attention. Towards the tail end of their meal, Weiss popped up out of her chair without warning. At their startled glances, she simply stated she didn't have any more time to be messing around with midterms fast approaching, and that when they were done playing hide and seek, they could find her in the library. With that, she strolled out of the dining hall, without another word or a glance back at them. Yang had sat there, dumbstruck, for quite some time, her hair glowing bright gold. At some point, Farran was convinced she would rip the table off the ground and hurl it at Weiss. Thankfully, she kept her temper mostly in check without incident. That is, until they made it back into the dorm room.

"What the hell is wrong with her?" She exploded once the door was closed, her hair glowing to the point Farran could swear it actually became a wreath of flames.

"Look, I get it Yang, but please calm down!" Farran pleaded, hands out in front of him, defensively, "I'm not any happier about this than you are, but it all works out, doesn't it? We had to figure out how to get away from her, and we did!"

"I don't care about all that!" She cocked her fist back, looking for a moment as if she would blast a hole through the wall. After a beat, and then another, she finally lowered her hand, "I get what you're saying Farran, but… Gods, she just pisses me off so much! We're supposed to be teammates! We're gonna be going out there and fighting Grimm and maybe even dying together! And yet she's got the balls to sit there, look me in the eyes, and tell me she'd rather go  _study_  than go making sure her Gods damned teammate is alright."

"I know, Yang. Believe me, I do. But we have to keep focused. Right now, we have to get to the top of the Palace. It's gonna be hard enough without Ruby, and it'll be impossible if you start flying off the handle." He grabbed her tightly by either shoulder, "So please, just take a deep breath, and calm down. We can deal with Weiss once we have Blake back, safe and sound. Ok?"

"Ok, ok. I'm fine" Yang took a deep breath, and smiled, "I'm calm. Thank you, Farran." She peeled his hands off her shoulders, "Hero, I know I'm good looking and all, and I know it must be really hard for you, but please don't touch me. I don't really consider cafeteria food 'taking me out for dinner', you know. Gonna have to do a little bit better than that."

"There she is. There's the Yang I know. Come on, you. Let's get moving."

Even as he said that, Farran felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. Ever since they had left Vale, he'd been trying to keep an overwhelming sense of dread from spreading over him. As they entered the storage closet, he could feel his stomach twisting in knots, and his heart threatened to pound out of his chest, these sensations belying the calm smile he was forcing himself to put on. They got into position, and he pulled out his scroll, flipping it open to the Metaverse app. With palms already slick with sweat, he went to press the button to transport them into the Metaverse, and hesitated. He tried to take a breath to steel himself, but his body rejected his commands. No matter what he did, he could not bring himself to press the button.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Let's go… Oh shit, Farran. You ok? You're so pale!" She moved in front of him, a worried frown scrawled on her face, "…You're really that scared of going underground, aren't you?"

"What? No, no, I'm fine. I'll be alright. I mean, we got through last time just- Ow!" He tried to play it off, but she biffed him on the head.

"Don't be stupid, you idiot. I don't know if you can lose your Persona for something like this, but the last thing we can afford is for your Shadow to pop out again cause you're too big of a moron to admit you're still scared. Now spill it."

Farran wanted to deny it, but her glare told him he had no choice, "Alright, fine. I know it's stupid, but… You know how I was chucked off the top of a building? And that it almost killed me? But I can fly just fine! If anything, I just feel excited when I'm up in the air. So why the hell would I be afraid of something so dumb like being underground? You'd think I'd be more comfortable down there…"

Yang stood there, silent for just a moment, "…I wouldn't say it's stupid. Most people are afraid of shit that doesn't make sense when you first think about it. I mean, you said Pyrrha's afraid of snakes of all things right?" She shrugged, "You know, I remember learning something in school, back before I went to Signal even. Way back when, the Dust miners would bring caged birds down into the mines with them. Cause of all the deadly gasses and stuff that can leak out in the mines, the idea is that the miners would check if they were still making noise, cause if they weren't, then the gas had killed them so they knew to turn back. That just sorta stuck out to me, cause I thought it was cruel. The poor things must have been so afraid to go down there, when they were used to flying around free. I know you're not really a bird or anything, but maybe it's the same with you? I mean, if I had your Semblance, I'd be up in the air all the time."

"Yeah, maybe…"

"Oh, come on! I'm trying to be deep and philosophical and caring here! The least you could do is try and humor me." She sighed, "Fine, come here. I'm gonna show you a trick to try and calm you down, but if you make this weird, I'll end you. Now close your eyes, and lean your head forward."

"Ok…?" He did as she asked.

"Alright, good. Now…" He felt something warm press against his forehead. He opened his eyes to see Yang's purple irises right in front of him, her forehead pressing against his, "I said to shut your eyes, dumbass." Reluctantly, he did so, "Ok. Keep your breathing steady, and focus on my voice. Every word, every syllable." As she started talking, Farran started seeing something, despite his eyes being closed. Above him, just out of his field of view, there was a yellow light, bright as the sun, "Do you see that? That's my aura, Farran. I want you to remember what you're seeing right now. The light of my aura. Never forget it. Whenever you're afraid, I want you to remember this light. Remember that, no matter what, I'll always be there for you, and whatever it is that's making you scared, I'll help you." He heard her take a step back, and opened his eyes to see her beaming in front of him, "And there you go! Feel better?"

Farran realized that his breathing had slowed considerably, and his heart was no longer frantically thumping. He nodded, "Tons. Thanks Yang, although that was a little more…"

"Don't. Don't even say it. I learned that trick from my stepmom, thank you. The context was totally different." She stamped her foot, "Gods, what's wrong with you? You go telling me to calm down, then you start freaking out yourself!"

"Well, if I'm screwed up, at least I'm in good company with you around!" He snickered.

"Uh, no. I'm a perfectly normal, sane person, and would have been living a normal, sane life, at least as much of one as a Huntress can have, if you weren't around." She shot him a wink, "I swear, Ruby should have left you out on the streets."

"Hey, you all wanted me to join, and you know it!"

"No, that's all on Ruby, Hero.  _I_ said I didn't want you back then, and now… Well, I'm still not too sure I'm happy about it."

They shared a brief laugh, and Farran raised up his scroll, "Alright, what's say we get going. The two of us got a date with Blake's Shadow."

"Oh, I like the sound of that! After you, Hero."

He took a deep breath, and with the image of a bright, yellow sun in his mind, he hammered the button on his scroll. Seconds later, the blue light emanating from the scroll swallowed them, and all sound was lost to the furious gales of the blue void. After all their trips between the real world and the Metaverse to this point, Farran had become far more comfortable with the process than he ever would have been comfortable with. The ground coming up to meet them before the light even faded, the sounds of the Palace replacing the torrent of winds, it had all started to become routine. What was new, however, was the sound of a familiar scream and a loud splash that rang out when they started to hear the otherwise normal crashing of waves. When their eyes finally adjusted from the blaring light coming from the scroll to the relatively dark cave, they spun around to a sight that filled them both with dread. A good few feet away from them, furiously and confusedly thrashing about in the water, was the unmistakable form of Weiss Schnee.

"Weiss?!" Yang yelled as they sprinted down to the water line, "What the hell- This way! Swim this way!"

At the sound of Yang's voice, Weiss began to swim, in a way that could be considered anything but graceful, towards the beach. She dragged herself up onto the sand, desperately sputtering and trying to catch her breath. When she finally got her wits about her, she turned to them with a look full of rage, confusion, embarrassment, shock, and fear, "Explain."

"Wha- Explain?!  _You_ explain!" Yang shot her an accusatory finger, "Why are you here?! You said you were going to the library!"

"That was obviously a lie!" She huffed, "You two are honestly nowhere near as clever as you apparently think you are. You really don't think I noticed you two and Ruby have been hiding something? You think it didn't strike me as odd that you would just fall behind and talk amongst yourselves when you had been oh so focused on searching for Blake? It was so obvious you two were planning something! The only reason I said what I did is because I knew you would go flying off the handle, and Farran would be too busy trying to calm you down, so neither of you would bother trying to check and see if you were being followed!"

"You had that all planned out?!" Farran furrowed his brow.

"But this!" She threw her arms out to the cave around them, hysterically "Where are we?! A cave…? Is this a cave?! How in the world did we get into a cave?! We were at the dorms! There's no caves anywhere near the Academy! Then that light… and I fell… and… and… Farran Park, what did you do?!"

"Weiss, now isn't the time! You shouldn't be here, it's dangerous! We need to get you back home before-"

"Absolutely not!" She cut him off with a glare, "I  _refuse_  to go anywhere, until you two give me a satisfactory explanation as to just what in the world is going on here!"

"Will you keep it down?!" Footsteps echoed from the tunnel leading into the Palace, as Viola emerged running into the cave, "Something's wrong. All the Shadows are… Oh." Her eyes widened as she noticed Weiss, "You are… new? I haven't met you before. I must say dear guest, it's a rather interesting move to bring someone new along while we're on such a tight timeframe. And, where's Ruby? Shouldn't she be with you?"

Weiss stared at the new arrival incredulously, "W-Who are you? Farran, who is she?!"

"We weren't planning on bringing her with us, Viola." Farran shrunk, "Weiss just sort of… tagged along, I guess."

"It would seem you are far more irresponsible than I had imagined, Farran…" Viola grimaced, "This makes the second time you inadvertently led someone into this world. Actually, if you include your first foray here with Ruby, this would be the third."

"Wha- This  _world_?" A vein started to rise on Weiss's forehead, "Would one of you,  _any_  of you, please just explain what on Remnant is going on?!"

"Very well then…" Viola acquiesced, "First, allow me to introduce myself. I believe you are Weiss, correct? My name is Viola, attendant of the Velvet Room, and guide to Farran Park, our guest. As for your question, well… The easiest answer is that nothing on Remnant is going on here, as we are no longer on Remnant to begin with. What you see before you is another world, the world of the conscious of all human and Faunus-kind, more commonly known as the Metaverse. To be more specific, we are currently standing in a portion of the Metaverse belonging to your teammate, Blake."

"Metaverse? Another world? Blake…?" Weiss started to look like she might topple over, prompting Yang to give hold onto her to help keep her balanced, "I-I don't… I don't understand…"

Farran, Yang, and Viola did their best to bring Weiss up to speed on their adventures through the Metaverse thus far. Farran described his first night in the hospital, where he met Igor and Viola, as well as his first experience in this new world. He and Yang went on to recount when they awakened to their Personas, as well as when Ruby awakened to Lupa, while Viola gave her a brief rundown of exactly what Personas were. Finally, they gave her an overview of their fight against Richards, from exploring his Palace, to setting up the video in his office that changed his cognition, to finally toppling his Shadow once and for all, culminating with them explaining what they knew about Blake's Palace and her disappearance, as well as showing her both of the videos they had received to that point. During their exposition, Weiss stood there, her initial shock wearing off surprisingly fast, her eyes closed as she meditated on everything she was being told.

When they had all said their peace, Weiss finally opened her eyes with a curt frown, "So, if I were to believe you all, and that is still very much up in the air at the moment, I would like to summarize what you have just told me. For almost a month, you have been traveling to another world, fighting with the manifestations of humanity's cognitions, forced a highly dangerous and violent member of one of the most powerful gangs in all of Remnant to confess to his crimes by defeating the physical forms of his desires, and worst of all, almost managed to get yourself  _expelled_. All the while, the two of you and Ruby thought it best to hide all of these facts from your teammates who, might I remind you of your own repeated words, you are supposed to trust completely. Is that the case?"

"Well, not quite…" Farran rubbed the back of his neck, "I mean, we weren't planning on keeping you and Blake in the dark about this forever. We were going to fill you in as soon as we were sure Richards's Palace was safe, but we weren't expecting the whole place to just collapse the second we beat his Shadow. And then with Blake disappearing, and with such a short time to work with, we just wanted to focus on getting this done."

"I suppose I can't fault your logic on that…" She gave a forlorn look around her, "I don't think I would have believed you without seeing it for myself. Everything you've just said sounds like nothing more than someone's delusional fantasy. And yet, now that I'm here, there's no way I can deny it's existence."

"Yeah, yeah, ok. You believe us about this place now, great." Yang waved her hands, "Now we gotta get you back home! If you stay here any longer, who knows if the Shadows will find you."

"Actually, that's the thing Yang. That's why I came looking for you guys." Viola frowned, "All but one of the Shadows in this Palace, save for the Palace Ruler, are gone!"

"Wait, WHAT?!" Farran and Yang blurted out simultaneously.

Viola took Farran's scroll and opened it to the map. Just as Viola had stated, the entire Palace was devoid of any sign of Shadows, save for one small blip of red emanating from the top floor, "You see? Something happened. I have no idea why, but all of the guard Shadows have disappeared!"

"Excuse me, if I may interject for a moment… Viola, was it?" Weiss pointed at the sole red blip on the screen, "If what you're saying is true, then there are four whole floors between us and the nearest enemy, correct? If that is the case, then wouldn't this be the perfect situation for me to awaken to a Persona?"

"Wait, are you serious Weiss?" Yang stared at her, dumbstruck, "You want to awaken to your Persona?"

"I don't see why not. Do you think I plan to just sit by and allow you two to run off and get yourselves killed on your own? Not on your life. And besides, if this really is Blake's Palace, then we could…" She trailed off for a moment, looking at the pool of water beside her, then shook her head, "Anyways, it's not that big of a deal. If there's no danger around, then all I have to do is accept that this Shadow of mine is a part of me, correct? Simple."

"It really isn't as easy as you think it is, Weiss." Farran pinched the bridge of his nose, thinking back to his own Shadow, "It's not just any part of you that you have to accept. Your Shadow is all of the parts of you that you hide away. Anything you're ashamed of or afraid of… Looking that dead in the eye and saying, 'Yes, I accept you're a part of me.' really isn't easy."

"So you say, Farran. Yet you three seem to have made it through just fine. I'm hardly mentally weak, you know. If there is a problem that I need to address, then I am certainly capable of accepting and overcoming it."

"Regardless, I don't think it's a good idea for you to stay here." Viola rubbed her temples, "The Shadows disappearing isn't the only problem with all this. Yesterday, I could sense the Palace ruler just fine, but now… I can't get a bead on it at all!"

"It's just gone? You're sure?" Yang furrowed her brow, "But how can that be? It's not like someone just came in here and beat the damn thing while we were gone… Right?"

"That's impossible. You guys are the only ones with access to the Metaverse! And besides, even if that was the case, if someone managed to beat her Shadow, we wouldn't be having this conversation right now. The Palace would be gone."

"But then where-"

Before Yang could finish her question, a shadowy figure, their form distorted by a cloud of pitch black haze billowing around it, came flying from the tunnel to the Palace like a bat out of hell. Before they could even react, the figure came at them and sent Farran and Yang flying across the room, before engulfing itself around Weiss. It scooped her up within its darkness, and just as soon as it came, it retreated back within the Palace, Weiss's blood-curdling scream echoing behind it. Farran and Yang scrambled to their feet, and they and Viola made a mad dash after the mysterious figure. Weiss's fearful screams were their only guide as they ascended through the Palace. Just as Viola had said, the Shadows were nowhere to be seen, but beyond that, the Palace itself had changed. The walls, floors, and ceilings of the corridors they passed through had been carved out by something with massive claws, their mark left deep within even stone and steel as if it were paper.

As they clambered through the, now destroyed, third floor barracks, Weiss's screams finally ceased. Farran found himself taking the stairs to the fourth floor two at a time, ignoring the pangs of pain that started flaring up in his bad knee as he sprinted forward. He and Yang threw open the doors to the fourth floor, coming out into a single, circular room. Much like the lowest floor, the walls of this room were all lined with prison cells made of steel bars, yet that was where all the similarities ended. While not lavish by any stretch of the imagination, the cells were much more sensibly decorated, with actual furniture fit for use, and rather than rusted out bars, the steel that lined the cages looked brand new and freshly polished. And inside all the cages were…

"Faunus…?" Yang muttered, as they tentatively entered the room.

Unlike the over cramped cells containing humans that appeared half dead on the second floor of the prison, these cells each contained a single Faunus, and of those present, though some looked a bit sickly and pale, they seemed no worse for wear.

"But, if this prison is run by the White Fang…" Farran's eyes scanned the area, "Then why are there Faunus in these cages as well?"

"Blood traitors." A new, calm voice called from across the room. From out of the darkness, the figure of a girl with brown hair that came back in a long curl stepped out, her already tanned skin marred with even darker splotches. Much like the Shadows they'd encountered thus far, she wore the mask of the White Fang as well, "Every last one of them."

"What do you mean?" Farran pulled Silverbreak free of its sheath.

"Simple. There are those that, for some reason, would abandon the plight of their own race and stand against the White Fang. They claim our methods are too violent, and that they don't actually work in their favor. Ignoring, of course, all the respect that we've forced people to give us. For that reason, they are our enemies." She let out a short laugh, "Of course, they're still above humans. So even if they need to be punished for their crimes against Faunus, they still deserve better than your pathetic race."

"Sounds to me like you're all a bunch of psychos that will take out anyone who doesn't agree with them." Yang growled, preparing Ember Celica.

"Don't talk about things you know nothing about. How could a human like you possibly understand anything about the White Fang? Your race is too stupid, and your minds to clouded with bias and hate."

"Oh, just shut up and give us Weiss back already!"

"Weiss? Oh, I suppose you mean that Schnee girl." The Shadow let out a mirthful chuckle, "I'm afraid you're too late for her. She's already fallen victim to our most dangerous Prisoner. The very same prisoner that managed to slaughter all of our other guards. I'm afraid her death is guaranteed now. Except, well, she  _is_ a Schnee after all, so I guess I'm not afraid at all! Anything she gets is exactly what she deserves."

"That's enough! I've heard all I can stand out of you!" Yang roared.

With her hair shining a bright gold, Yang charged forward, readying a devastating punch for the Shadow, but it was far too quick. The Shadow ducked out of the way of her punch, and using her momentum, tossed Yang clear across the room, her back slamming into the bars of one of the cells with a loud clang. With one last laugh, the Shadow wrenched the Grimm mask off her face with a horrific squelch. Her body shuddered and wretched, stretching and turning in on itself, her whole form becoming the black mass that usually accompanied a Shadows transformation. However, as she changed, the room began to darken, not from the lights going out, but almost as if the darkness itself was rising from the floor. The entire room filled with the darkness, making it near impossible for Farran to see Viola, even though she stood right next to him, let alone either Yang or the Shadow.

Farran turned to ask Viola to scan the Shadow, but before he could even open his mouth, he heard a quick rustle to his left, as something leapt at him from the darkness. He brought Silverbreak up, just barely catching a set of claws before they could reach his throat. For a brief moment, he could see his opponent, right in front of his face. The Shadow had taken the form of a gorgeous woman, her entire upper torso covered in fur, a pair of cat ears replacing normal human ones. Her golden eyes gleamed in the darkness as she swiped at him, once again trying to slice him with her claws. Farran forced her back, taking a swing at her with Silverbreak that caught nothing but the pitch-black air. Before he could recover, he felt his entire body jolt, a streak of white hot pain shooting down through his torso, as the Shadow called down a bolt of lightning on top of him.

He fell to one knee, the Shadow standing over top of him with a predatory sneer, her razor sharp claws sliding out from her paws. She reared back, looking to claw out the throat of her foe, only to be sent flying by the flame covered fist of Pele. Farran heard footsteps coming from the darkness, Yang appearing in the light offered by Pele's flames shortly after.

"Don't worry, Hero. I got you." She pulled him back to his feet, "Won't let you die on me that easily."

"Wasn't gonna die. Damn thing just fried my spine for a second." He muttered through clenched teeth. If he was being honest, his nervous system was still feeling the effects of that zap, but he couldn't falter. Not while Weiss was still being held captive, "Thank you, Yang. Alright Viola, what is this thing?"

A soft light spread out around them before she answered, "It's a Nekomata, of the Hermit Arcana. You already saw that it uses strong electric attacks, as well as its claws. As far as weaknesses go, the only thing I can sense is that it's weak to wind."

"Of all the times for us to not have Ruby!" Yang growled.

"I still have Kijimuna though." Farran grimaced, "Although, with how weak it is defensively, I don't know if I'll be able to take another hit from that thing's lightning. Can you keep her off me, Yang?"

She nodded, just as the Nekomata came screaming out of the darkness. She lunged at Farran, looking to strike, but was met by Pele once again. The Shadow and Persona traded blows, the Nekomata's speed matched by Pele's. The two seemed to be at a stalemate of speed and strength until Farran summoned Kijimuna, the small Persona unleashing a gale of wind beneath the Shadow that swept it off its feet, allowing Pele to gain a temporary advantage, beating down on the grounded Shadow until she managed to break free. They continued to take advantage of their numbers, Yang using Pele to keep the Shadow occupied, while Farran used Kijimuna's wind magic to knock her down, and give Yang an opening. After quite some time of following that pattern, just as the two felt a heavy fatigue start to set in, the Nekomata finally collapsed, allowing Farran to take her as a Persona.

As the light from the ethereal chain around his wrist faded, Farran slumped down on the ground. He tried to force himself back up, but his muscles burned and ached, revolting against his commands until Yang finally pulled him back up. The darkness around them started to give way to room's lighting, slowly but surely until they could see the whole room again. That was when they heard the faint sound of clapping coming from the stairwell leading to the final floor. The door swung open, and out stepped the figure from earlier, wisps of shadows cascading off its form. With a flick of what Farran guessed to be its arm, the figure dispelled the shadows around its face, causing Farran's skin to crawl. What stood before them almost appeared as if Blake had a twin, who had just been picked up off the streets. Her long, black hair that would normally appear silky and smooth, now dangled down her back, unkempt, matted, and in some spots it appeared as if it had been ripped out. Her ears looked mangy, and one even had a large chunk torn from the side, and her normally amber eyes now glowed gold.

"Very well done. I thought she would be more than enough to handle the both of you." Shadow Blake smirked, "Although I have to admit, I'm disappointed in you Farran. This is the world of  _my_ desires. It's a very personal and private place. You should know better than to come digging around in here."

"Yeah, well… You know me." Farran shrugged, trying to keep himself calm, "I stop giving a shit about personal boundaries once I know something's wrong. We only came here to help you, Blake."

"Help me? Oh, I'm sure." She glared down at him, "Just like you helped me when you tried convincing me to trust the team. Just like you helped me when you tried telling me to trust Weiss. Like you helped me by trying to get me to believe that not all humans are scum. No, Farran. You haven't  _helped_ me one bit. All you managed to do was get my hopes up so that when Weiss decided to show her true colors, it would hurt even more."

"You don't know what you're talking about, Blake!" Yang growled, "Weiss spent all day trying to help us look for you! Give her back!"

"Tch. Don't worry your little head about her, Yang. She's safe. For now." The billowing darkness in front of Shadow Blake dispersed even more, allowing the two of them to see Weiss. She was being held tightly against Shadow Blake's body, her fingers wrapped tightly across Weiss's neck as their teammate struggled for air. Shadow Blake turned back to them, her face riddled with scorn, "But you won't be getting her back. The Schnee family heiress dies by my hand tonight."

"What?! Blake, this is stupid! I know what Weiss said, and I know it pissed you off, but you wouldn't kill her… would you?"

She sneered, "How many people do you think I've killed with the White Fang? Do you really think being put in some inane group of 'teammates' is enough for me to not kill her?"

"So you really are…?"

"A member of the White Fang? Try asking my other self in the real world. Assuming the coward hasn't run off by now. She's starting to run out of places to hide." With one last whimper, Weiss disappeared back within the darkness surrounding Shadow Blake, "This conversation is over. Say goodbye, you two. This is the last you'll see of either of us. At midnight tonight, the daughter of Jacques Schnee dies."

Before either of them could react, Shadow Blake shot out of the room, retreating up the stairs and out of sight. Yang charged after her, angrily spewing obscenities in her wake. However, once she crossed the threshold of the door, thick, black ribbons shot out from the wall, tangling themselves around her neck, arms, torso, and anywhere else they could grab ahold of her. She tried to steamroll past them, but the more she forced her way through, the more ribbons tied themselves around her. Viola ran after her, grabbing the choking, gagging blonde from behind, and pulling her back into the room with them. The second Yang had crossed back through, the ribbons released her, retracting back into the walls they came from. Once she was free of their grasp, Yang tried to bolt for the door again, but Viola held on tight.

"Yang, stop it!" She pleaded, "You won't be able to get through! That's a defense mechanism caused by her cognition. She doesn't want anyone to see what's beyond this point."

"So what are you telling me, Viola?" Yang snarled, "Just leave Weiss here to die?! You heard what she said!"

"No, of course not! But until we find your friend in the real world, we won't be able to save her!"

"I don't like it any more than you do, but Viola's right." Farran frowned, "We have to go find Blake. If we don't, Weiss will…"

Yang held up a hand to stop him, "Alright, I get it. Sorry, I just… Gods, we don't even know where she is! How are we supposed to find her?"

"Well, Penny and Ruby have been looking for her since we left Vale. I gotta think that, even if they haven't found her, there's a lot less room that she could be hiding by now. But first things first, we gotta get out of here and go look."

With one last curse, and a glower towards the stairwell, Yang followed Farran down through the empty Palace, making their way towards the entrance.

* * *

Blake's heart skipped a beat as she watched two searchlights sliced through the foggy night air over her head. Sun had just returned with an armful of stolen apples, and the two watched as an airship descended through the fog, landing down in the docking bay. Blake could feel her nails digging into her palms as the door to the airship opened, hoping against hope that it wouldn't be occupied by members of the White Fang, but her prayers went unanswered. As a group of figures descended down the gangplank, she could see the crimson Beowolf skull that served as the White Fang's symbol emblazoned on their backs. Her heart sunk, as fury, sorrow, and confusion began to well up inside her.

"You really didn't think they were behind it, did you?" Sun looked at her with a frown.

Blake sighed as she watched more White Fang troops exit the Bullhead, "No. I think deep down I knew. I just didn't want to be right."

Before Blake could say or think anything else, a new voice called out from within the Bullhead, "Hey! What's the holdup!?" A red haired man in a white suit came strolling out of the ship, furiously gesturing with his cane, "We're not exactly the most inconspicuous bunch of thieves at the moment, so why don't you animals try to pick up the pace?"

Blake glared at the new arrival, unsheathing Gambol Shroud, and stepping towards the ledge, "This isn't right. The White Fang would never work with a Human. Especially not one like that."

She leapt off, vaguely hearing Sun call after her as she fell, but she paid him no mind. What mattered most to Blake now was finding out what was going on.  _Adam, why…? What happened to you that you would work with someone like this?_ She snuck around in the shadows, making her way around crates and shipping containers, until she was in a good enough position to strike. She lunged, getting right up to the man's back, and bringing Gambol Shroud's blade up to his throat.

"What the-" The man almost sounded annoyed, "Oh, for f-"

"Nobody move!" Blake cut him off mid-swear.

The White Fang troops looked at her, readying their weapons as the man snickered, "Whoa! Take it easy there, little lady."

The White Fang troops started to move in, until Blake reached up behind her with her off hand, pulling her bow free, and exposing her ears to them. Once more she called out, "Brothers of the White Fang! Why are you aiding this scum?"

The man laughed as his troops lowered their weapons, "Oh, kid, didn't you get the memo?"

"What are you talking about?"

""The White Fang and I are going in on a joint business venture together!"

Blake brought the edge of her blade right up to the skin of the man's neck, "Tell me what it is or I'll put an end to your little operation."

Just then, strong gusts of wind whipped all around them, blowing dust and dirt into Blake's face. "I wouldn't exactly call it a little operation..." He sneered.

Two more bulkheads, no doubt loaded to the brim with White Fang troops began to descend into the bay above them. Blake watched in horror at their arrival, her attention diverted from the man for just long enough for him to adjust his cane. She heard the click of a trigger being pulled, as the ground exploded out from below her, the uproar leaving both sets of her ears ringing as she flew through the air, uselessly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Notes
> 
> RWBY is back! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! :D
> 
> Hey guys!
> 
> Sorry for the lack of an update last week. Hit a bit of a funk in real life and everything, so the fic had to go on the backburner for a little bit. Everything's fine now, and I'm back to my normal writing schedule, so hopefully I can update more consistently like I did in Act 1!
> 
> Want to give a quick shoutout to the always awesome LVR6. They agreed to be my Beta reader/editor for this fic, so there should be a hell of a lot less typos going forward. If you guys get a second, definitely go give them some love. They got a bunch of awesome fics up on their page, so I sincerely recommend you give 'em a look.
> 
> The Persona Farran got in this chapter was a Nekomata: Japanese legends state that cats which live long enough, or which grow a long enough tail, will end having their tail split into two tails, and become a Nekomata. Nekomata have a variety of powers, including the ability to take human forms.
> 
> Anyways, that's all I got for this week. Hope to see you in the next Chapter!
> 
> Inferno :D


	19. Close, but no Cigar

Farran gritted his teeth, as harsh winds blasted by his face, chilling him to the bone. His arms were wrapped in a death grip around Yang's waist, as the two of them shot through the city on her motorcycle. They'd reluctantly left the Metaverse, leaving Viola behind with Farran's scroll to keep an eye on things until they got back. Yang had texted Ruby as they hopped aboard an airship heading into Vale, only to find that in all their time searching, neither she nor Penny had found any sign of Blake. The second they landed, Yang dragged Farran to the garage next to the airstrip where she kept her bike, flooring it out of the garage the second they were both safely seated. With every turn, the wheels of her motorcycle let out a deafening screech, as she blasted around corners without even thinking of slowing down. In any other situation, Farran would have complained about her speed, or at least made a sarcastic remark about her driving, but he held his tongue. He was, after all, just as anxious about this whole mess.

He checked the clock on the motorcycle's dashboard over Yang's shoulder: 9 PM. Just three hours left for them to find Blake, get back to Beacon, and defeat her Shadow. He shook his head, not willing to let himself get lost worrying about what might happen if they failed. The pair finally reached a point a few blocks away from where Ruby said to meet them when the ground started rumbling underneath them. Yang pulled over, her bike screeching to a halt, and pointed up at the sky out in the distance. There, behind the lines of buildings ahead of them, a steady cloud of thick, black smoke billowed up into the sky. Off in the distance, they could hear the sounds of police sirens starting up.

"What the hell was that?" Farran climbed off her motorcycle, staring at the dark mass looming above them.

Yang shook her head, "I have no idea, but that's definitely coming from the docks. You don't think it's Blake, do you?"

"How? The video said she shouldn't be there until tomorrow!"

"Does it really matter? That's the closest thing we've had to a lead all weekend!" Yang revved the engine of her bike, "Farran, you go on ahead. You can get there a hell of a lot faster than I can in the air."

He nodded, "Sure thing. You pick up Ruby, and I'll meet you two over there."

"I won't need to. If she is where she's supposed to be, she's probably already on her way there anyways." She waved him on ahead, "Now get moving! If Blake is there, we need to get there  _now_! Before we lose her again, or worse, something happens to her!"

Not needing to be told again, Farran kicked off the ground, a silver light flashing behind him as his wings unfurled, carrying him up above the buildings, as the yellow dot that was Yang and her motorcycle sped off, navigating through the streets. He beat his wings as hard as he could, willing himself faster across the Vale skyline. Even if he couldn't be considered slow in the air, he found himself wishing, even if just for this once, that he could move as fast as Ruby. The deep navy blue of the coast grew ever nearer as he flew, replacing the lines of rooftops he passed over. He could see more columns of smoke rising from his destination, and the sounds of rapid gunfire filled the air. Whatever was happening at the docks, Farran was certain he was heading for a war zone.

Very soon after, the battlefield the docking bay had become came into view. Amidst the craters and destroyed shipping containers, a small army of White Fang troops spread throughout the area, all armed to the teeth. A number of them swarmed behind a crumpled up shipping container, only to be smacked around, much to Farran's relief, by Blake. His solace was short lived, however, as a short distance away he could see the monkey Faunus from the boat knelt down to a man in a white suit, who was holding a cane-gun up to the side of his head. The man looked as if he would pull the trigger, until a familiar voice cut through the air.

"Hey!" Ruby stepped forward from the shadows on top of a nearby rooftop, unsheathing Crescent Rose. Penny stood right behind her, watching Ruby curiously.

From as far as he was away, Farran couldn't hear the man's response to Ruby, but the moment she turned to address Penny, the man took aim at her and fired. Another explosion rocked the area, sending Ruby flying backwards across the rooftop. Enraged, Farran folded his wings and went into a dive, falling through the air towards the man. The wind hissed around him, as he forced Silverbreak free of its sheath, rearing back to strike. At the last second, Farran flared his wings, beating them as hard as he could to avoid slamming into the unforgiving concrete, while also using the momentum of his fall to unleash a devastating strike at the man. He swung with all his might, but the moment before impact, the man held up his cane, as Silverbreak collided with it with a resounding crash. Sparks flew, and the two weapons shook against each other, as both men tried to overpower the other, until the man in white finally managed to break the stalemate.

The man deftly leapt backwards, with Farran in hot pursuit. Farran kept to the air, hoping that the added leverage would help him get through the man's defense, but it was all for naught. The man easily managed to move out of the way of any of Farran's strikes that he couldn't outright block. Farran reared back for another strike, but before he could move, the man reached up and latched the crook of his cane around the tendon of his wing, pulling down and forcing Farran to smash face first into the ground. Dazed, Farran heard the click of a trigger, and swiftly rolled off to the side, just as the concrete he had been laying on erupted into flames. He forced himself back up to his feet, drawing Silverbreak in preparation for the man's next move, but instead of attacking, the man just tilted his head curiously. After a moment of just staring him down, the man began to cackle.

"Unbelievable. You really are full of surprises, aren't you?" His voice was a titter, "And tonight of all nights… How in the world did you manage to come back from the dead, kid?"

"Wha-" Farran nearly dropped Silverbreak in his surprise, "You… You know who I am?"

"Oh, that's right. Of course. There's no way  _He_ would let you off that easily, even if he didn't bother to finish you off. Well then, allow me to reintroduce myself." The man popped bowed theatrically, "The name's Roman Torchwick, criminal mastermind, and cream of the crop of Vale's underworld, at your service."

"Torchwick… So, you're that guy that held up the Dust shop Ruby was in." Farran glared at him, "So, how the hell does scum like you know me? And who is 'he'?"

"Well, if you really want to know so bad…" Torchwick chuckled, "Then how about I see if I can beat some of those memories back into your skull?"

Torchwick lunged at him, almost cracking Farran across the skull with his cane, if not for Farran ducking out of the way just before contact. Farran continued to give chase, lashing out with strike after strike from Silverbreak, each knocked harmlessly to the side by Torchwick's cane, his lethal grin growing each time. His best bet was to keep Torchwick in retreat, trying to direct him backwards into a corner, but suddenly Torchwick's smile fell, and he lashed out with his cane, slamming it into Farran's knee. He stumbled, looking up just in time to see the white crook of his cane collide with his face. Everything went white as his jaw erupted into white-hot pain, the taste of copper filling his mouth as he felt himself fall to the ground. When his vision finally returned, he saw Torchwick standing tall over him, the tip of his cane pointed down at his face, the bottom flipped up to reveal the barrel of a gun.

"You know, you always did look at me like that. Like I'd just finished kicking your dog or something. Newsflash, kid. I'm more the type of guy who cons old people out of their money. Not a lot of profit from kicking animals around. Although, I'll admit kicking  _these_ Animals around has gotten me quite a bit." Torchwick sighed, pulling his cane away, "You know, I would love to be the one to put a bullet in your head and put you down for good. After how much of a pain in the ass you've been to my employer, and especially to me, you have no idea. Unfortunately, I don't think  _He_  would be very happy about it, and that's far more trouble than it's worth."

"What are you talking about?!" Farran spat a line of blood, "What the hell do you know about me?!"

"Ah ah ah. That is what we in the business call Spoilers, kid." Torchwick retreated a few steps, "And I'm the last person to be giving out spoilers. Least of all to you."

Torchwick opened his mouth as if he were going to say more, but in the blink of an eye, he leapt backwards, dodging out of the way as a  _green laser beam_ carved its way through the ground in between them, before it raised up and cleaved two approaching Bullheads in half. Farran spun around, staring in shock at Penny, who was standing amidst the wreckage of the battlefield, a number of swords levitating above her head. She motioned her hands, as the swords launched forward, embedding themselves in the side of a third Bullhead that had tried taking off with one of the shipping containers. She took a few steps back, a hint of a smile on her face, and with one last gesture, the Bullhead was wrenched from the sky, freefalling until it exploded on impact with the dock. Farran sat there stunned, unable to comprehend what he had just seen, until he heard the sound of another airship landing off to his side. He turned, just in time to see Torchwick climb aboard, pulling the hatch shut behind him as the Bullhead took off. Farran jumped to his feet, running towards the ship and considered flying after it, but he froze. He had a lead about his past, someone who knew who he used to be, but that lead was on an airship that was leaving him in the dust. He knew it would be a simple thing to follow it, but if he didn't get to Blake, she and Weiss would…

"Gods damn it!" He spat as he turned on his heels, running towards the last place he saw Blake.

Farran managed to reunite with Ruby and Blake over by the warehouse where a number of police cars had already flooded the scene. The reporting officers kept them, as well as Penny and Sun, in a secluded part of the docking bay while they waited for the police to clean up the White Fang troops that hadn't managed to escape from the scene. Even though they were assured that they wouldn't be placed under arrest, and that the police only wanted their statements as the Huntsmen and Huntresses that first responded to the scene, Farran couldn't help but worry that he'd see Blake being escorted to one of the cars in handcuffs after her questioning took significantly longer than his or Ruby's. As he was waiting, staring off in the direction she had gone with his mind racing, he jumped when someone tapped on his shoulder. Yang had finally made it through the mess of a blockade the Vale City Police made, plopping down on the box next to him. Ruby opened her mouth to speak, but Yang immediately shushed her, pointing her head towards Penny and Sun, the latter of which was sprawled out on his own box, and the former sitting cross-legged on hers, merrily humming away. After waiting for quite some time, with still no sign of Blake, an officer came over to get Sun and Penny, taking them for their statements.

With no other outsiders around, Ruby finally turned to Farran and Yang with a frown, "So, why are you two here? You're supposed to be in the Metaverse, finding us a way to the top floor!"

"We were." Farran rubbed his knee, still sore from Torchwick clubbing it, "But there was a big problem."

"A problem? Wait…" She looked between them, both trying to avoid eye contact, "Guys… Where is Weiss?"

"She's in the Metaverse, Rubes." Yang grumbled, "Blake's Shadow got her."

"WHAT?!"

"Quiet!" Yang shushed her, "It's not our fault, alright? We weren't planning on bringing her with us? She snuck into the storage closet after we turned on the app. We tried to force her to leave, but she wasn't having any of it until we explained what was going on. And while we were doing that…"

"Blake's Shadow snuck up and grabbed her?" Ruby stared at them.

Farran nodded, "We chased them all the way up to the top floor, but the stairwell up there has some kind of defense mechanism or something. Viola said the only way to get through it is to change her cognition. She's there keeping an eye on things, but we need to get back there before anything happens."

"Obviously…" Ruby buried her face in her hands, "Ok, so now what? We're gonna have to tell Blake, right?"

"Tell me what?" A familiar voice softly called from off to the side.

The group spun around to see Blake standing a few feet away from them, her usual bow already back in its place on her ears. Farran could see dark bags under her eyes, made even more noticeable by her sickly, pale skin. She slouched her way over to the box she had occupied before she'd been taken to be questioned, collapsing on top of it in a heap, letting out a loud yawn.

"You ok, Blake?" Yang bit her lip, "You were gone before I even got here, and you look like a total mess. They didn't… They didn't do anything to you, did they?"

"I'm guessing they already told you I'm a Faunus, then? Or at least you've figured it out by now…" A weary smile crossed her lips, "No, they didn't do anything to me. They were accusing me of being one of the White Fang at first, but Professor Goodwitch showed up and cleared everything up with them. I've just… had a really long weekend is all. I'm sorry for worrying you all. But, what was it you guys were talking about?"

Farran looked between Ruby and Yang, before turning his gaze back to their newly returned teammate, "Blake… You know how Cardin and Richards started acting like entirely different people out of nowhere? Almost like they had a change of heart?"

"That's a really off the wall thing to bring up." Blake raised an eyebrow, "But yeah, we were just talking about it the other day."

"Right… Look, I know this is gonna sound incredibly stupid and flat out impossible, but the three of us were the ones that made it happen."

"What are you talking about?" She looked between the three of them, like she was expecting them to start acting like it was some big joke, "You guys aren't messing with me… Are you?"

"Why would we do that, Blake?" Ruby stared at her feet, "We don't have any reason to lie to you about all this, and it's not like the first thing we'd do once we found you again is try playing a prank…"

"That's true but… How in the world is that even possible? I mean, Cardin is a member of a wealthy, powerful family, and Richards was a part of the drug trade! How could you three, when you're just a bunch of students, manage to pull that off?!"

"That's what we're trying to tell you Blakey." Yang held up a hand to stop her, "It's like Farran said, this is all gonna sound like bullshit, but we need you to listen to what we have to say. We're not trying to trick you or prank you, and we have proof that everything we're going to tell you is legit. You just need to stay calm, and listen, ok?"

Blake nodded, and for the second time in as many days, the group began to explain their journey through the Metaverse from the beginning. At first, despite initially being confused when they started to describe the other world, Blake took the information relatively well, sitting there and listening to their story with complete attention. However, once they started describing the events of the past few days, especially once they told her what happened with Weiss, her body language changed completely. Up to that point, she had been somewhat slouched over, and she turned her gaze to whoever was speaking, but once they got to the point of Weiss's kidnapping, she went straight as a board, her hands placed firmly in her lap, gripped to the point her knuckles turned white, as she stared at the ground in front of her. She only moved when they showed her the video they'd received the day she ran off, and even then, she only adjusted her gaze slightly so she could see it.

When they finished, Blake started trembling, "Why…?"

"Blake…" Ruby tried to lay a comforting hand one of Blake's, but she ripped it away.

"No!" She leapt from her seat, "Why?! Why would you take Weiss there?! Why would  _any of you_  go somewhere so… so…?"

"Personal?" Farran offered, the words her Shadow had said flashing in his mind.

"Dangerous!" Blake growled, "If what you all said is true, and there really is another world, and those Shadow things are so dangerous, even by our standards, then why would any of you go there?!"

"Blake, you just saw the video. If we didn't, all that stuff that happened to you in the video would happen to you in real life."

"So what?!" She glowered at Farran, "So what if all that was going to happen to me? If that was going to be my fate because I ran off, then I deserve everything that would have happened to me." She crumpled down onto the crate, "None of you should have risked your lives for me… I'm not worth it… And now-"

"Stop." Yang popped up from her seat, her fists shaking, "You stop right now, Blake. I am not going to sit here, and listen to you tell me that everything I did this weekend wasn't worth it. That all the panic and anxiety I felt, and all the running around we did, and all the cuts and bruises we got fighting Shadows and everything… I'm not going to let you tell me that wasn't worth it." She looked up at Blake, her eyes burning red, "You don't get to tell me that you're not worth it. That's not something you get to decide! Me and Ruby and Farran, and hell even Weiss too, we would all do everything we did this weekend a thousand times over if it meant you would be safe. You are my teammate and my partner and my friend, and you do not get to tell me what you're worth to me, damnit!"

"Yang…" Blake mouthed breathlessly, her eyes starting to well up.

"Yang's right, Blake. None of us would let anything happen to you, no matter what." Farran cracked his knuckles, "And we won't let anything happen to Weiss either. No matter what. So what's most important is that we get out of here, and get back to the dorm so we can save her."

Ruby, Yang, and Blake nodded, and together, they made their way towards the flashing lights of the patrol cars blockading the entrance to the docking bay. As they drew nearer, Farran noticed for the first time that a number of ambulances had joined the ranks of the patrol cars, as several of the White Fang operatives were being stretchered into them. One in particular had been covered in severe burns, most likely from the Bullhead that Penny had somehow forced to crash. In the middle of the chaos, an enervated Glynda Goodwitch stood pointing her riding crop at Sun, scolding him.

"Hey Professor Goodwitch…" Ruby called as they approached, "What are you doing here?"

"Good evening, students…" Goodwitch sighed, her voice flat, "I am here at this hour because Professor Ozpin gave me a call while I was on my way home, telling me to go to the docks, of all places, as four of our students, as well as one from Haven Academy that has no business being in Vale, managed to get into a firefight with a terrorist organization."

"Hey, I do so have business being here! I'm here to fight in the Vytal Tournament!" Sun spouted indignantly.

He immediately regretted his decision, as Goodwitch turned an icy glare towards him, "In two months, Mister Wukong. You were to be here in two months, when you and your team were  _scheduled and authorized_ to arrive here. And you're lucky Professor Ozpin and Professor Lionheart decided not to have you shipped back to Mistral after you snuck out in the middle of the night, leaving nothing but a note to tell your teammates and the school where you'd gone, and stowed away on a ship to Vale."

"Uh… Heh heh…" Sun rubbed the back of his neck, "Right… Sorry about that, Ma'am…"

"And as for the rest of you…" Goodwitch turned back to Team RWBY, "Where are you going? I was under the impression you were being kept away from here while the officers were finishing up here."

"Well, that's the thing, Professor. They're all done being questioned and everything, and it's been a really long day for us all, so…" Yang gingerly pointed at the fence, "We were kinda hoping we could go…?"

Goodwitch pinched the bridge of her nose, "I'm afraid I can't allow you to do that, Miss Xiao Long. I've been given orders from Professor Ozpin to escort the four of you back to Beacon. At the moment, however, there is some paperwork that must be filled out, for the Police Department's records and our own. As soon as I am finished, we can go."

"Professor, please!" Farran's voice came out far more loud than he had intended. He cleared his throat before he continued, "I know you have orders, but I think we're fine to get back on our own. We've all been out pretty much since early this morning, so we're too tired to get into any more trouble on the way. Not to mention, Weiss is back at the dorm, cooped up in bed with a pretty bad migraine. I don't want to make her stress out any more because the four of us came back a lot later than we were planning. And besides, it just means that you won't have to make another trip all the way back to Beacon, then all the way back down here to go home… Right?"

Using Weiss's migraine from the day before was a lame excuse, and Farran knew that very well. Goodwitch wasn't the type to easily fall for something like that, and more than that, she was under no obligation to let them go for any reason. Even so, he had to try something, anything to get them out of there, or time would run out on them. He tried to convey that as much as he could with his gaze, hoping if nothing else, that the promise of being able to return home far earlier than she had planned would push Goodwitch over the edge. Goodwitch kept her glare at him, stern and unwavering, but after a few moments, she shrugged her shoulders in defeat.

"Very well… I had noticed Miss Schnee wasn't with you all, and I can understand your concern about the well-being of your teammate. There is a ship waiting at the airfield to take you back to the Academy. Go straight there, no other stops, and don't go causing any more trouble, or I promise, you'll regret it." They nodded and moved to leave, but she stopped them, "One last thing. I want you all to understand that you are not the police, nor are you trained Huntsmen and Huntresses. You are students. What you have all done tonight, taking on an extremely dangerous criminal organization without going through the proper channels, is completely unacceptable. That being said, despite the odds being stacked highly against you, you preformed admirably. I just ask that you keep what I said in mind. Understood?"

"Yes, Professor. Thank you…" Ruby's head perked up as she scanned the area, "Hey, wait a minute… Where's Penny?"

Farran looked around, realizing that the mysterious girl hadn't reappeared since she was taken in for her statement, "Hey Sun, wasn't she with you? They took the both of you in at the same time, didn't they?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah." Sun closed his eyes, frowning slightly, "Now that I think about it, I haven't seen her since then. They took us over to the warehouse, but as we were heading inside, some guy in a black suit stopped the cop who was with her. Other than that, I dunno what happened."

"I believe you are referring to Miss Penny Polendina of Atlas Academy, correct?" Goodwitch hummed, "If I recall correctly, I saw her stepping into a car owned by an Atlas Academy staff member as I arrived. Most likely, she was being escorted back to her own accommodation."

"Atlas, huh? Makes sense. She seemed waaay to nice of a person to be from there, but those swords she was using definitely screamed Atlas Tech to me." Sun folded his hands behind his head, "Oh well, it's about time I started heading back. Blake, if you need me for anything else, I'll be at the café-"

Goodwitch clamped a hand down on his shoulder, "And just where do you think you're going, Mister Wukong? I may have given permission for my students to return to the Academy, but that doesn't include you. You and I aren't finished here yet."

"Well, we better get going!" Ruby started shoving the other members of her team, getting them moving, "You have a good night, Professor!"

"W-What?!" Sun tried moving out from under Goodwitch's vice grip, but to no avail, "You can't just leave me here like this! I helped out tonight too, right?!"

"Sorry, pal." Yang winked back at him, "This one's all on you. Have fun!"

"No… No! Come on, guys! You're just gonna abandon me? Don't leave me here with her!"

Goodwitch spun him around, pointing a finger right in his face, "Now, I believe it's time you understood exactly how much extra work your little stunt has added to my plate. Beyond all the paperwork I'll have to fill in tonight from this incident, I'll also have to make sure we have accommodations prepared for you on campus, I'll have to juggle around students to make sure you have room in the already limited space in our classrooms reserved for students from the other Academies, not to mention I'll have to contact your professors to let them know you've left far sooner than scheduled. On top of all that…"

Team RWBY could hear Goodwitch's lecture for a good distance, until they finally turned a corner, her voice drowned out by the surrounding buildings. For as tired as they all were after the day's events, the group moved surprisingly fast, reaching the airship that awaited them far sooner than they had expected. Once Ruby had informed the pilot that Goodwitch would not be joining them, they took their seats in the otherwise empty ship, Blake next to Farran and the sisters across from them, as the doors closed. Farran could almost feel his eyes bulging as he stared at a clock on the airship's wall; the neon green numbers reading 10:30. The flight back to Beacon wouldn't take any more than twenty minutes, which gave them just over an hour to work with. His concentration finally broke when he heard Blake speak up for the first time since they left the docks.

"You guys said that in order to get to Weiss and my Shadow, you need to change my 'cognition', or something like that." Her ears flattened against her head under her bow, "So, how exactly do you plan on doing that? You said you had to plant that virus on the main computer for the security cameras so that Richards would realize he wasn't invincible, but I know I'm not…"

"That's the thing Blake, we don't really know." Yang grimaced, "Viola, the girl that's been helping us get through that other world, all she told us was that it had to do with something you don't want us to see or to know. So, we were kinda hoping you might just tell us stuff we don't already know about you. That might be good enough."

"Stuff like… what exactly?"

"The White Fang, maybe?" Farran offered, "When we saw your Shadow last, we asked her if you were a member, and she told us to ask you. Not to mention all the Shadows we saw in your Palace were in White Fang uniforms. What do you think?"

"Of course…" Blake let out a half-hearted laugh, "The White Fang… It would make sense. Pretty much my entire life has been connected to them, from the moment I was born. You see… Farran, I lied to you the last time we talked. I'm not an orphan, I never was. I am the daughter of Ghira Belladonna, former High Leader of the White Fang, and Chieftain of Menagerie."

"Wait, what?!" Ruby's jaw nearly hit the floor, "Your dad is the  _leader_  of the White Fang?!"

" _Former_  High Leader." Blake corrected, "Back when my parents were around our age, they were both high ranking members of the White Fang, and after the High Leader before him stepped down, my father was elected to become the new High Leader. But back then, all the way until after I was born, the White Fang was meant to be a symbol of peace. Protests and civil disobedience, never riots and outright violence. It was working, and changes were being made, but not nearly as fast as most wanted. So, my father decided to step down."

"Which is when the White Fang started to become violent like they are now, right?" Yang frowned.

"Exactly. Not too long after I turned twelve, the new leader of the White Fang, Sienna Khan, took over. She believes that Faunus can only get the rights and respect we deserve by taking it through force. And to be fair, it is working in some areas, but for all the wrong reasons, and as a whole, it's been hurting Faunus everywhere. At the time, I thought long and hard about leaving the White Fang. My parents and many others already had, after all. But in the end I stayed…"

"…Can you tell us why?" Farran was cautious about pressing her, but there was a feeling deep within his mind telling him to keep her talking.

"I was young and stupid, most of my friends were still members, and Sienna's message seemed like the greatest thing ever to me." She shrugged, "Finally, after protesting for most of my life at that point for very little change that I could see, it felt like we were actually going out and doing something about how things were. My dad tried getting me to leave, and we ended up getting in a huge fight over it. So, later that night after everyone was asleep, I ended up sneaking out and running off with the man who would become the leader of the sect of the White Fang I was a part of." Blake shivered a little at the memory, "Adam Taurus was his name. The man who was talking at the end of the video you showed me. Even if his voice was distorted, I know that was him…"

"The guy who said you betrayed him or whatever?" Yang tilted her head.

"That's right…" Blake's hands balled up into fists, her knuckles turning white, "I worked under him for quite some time. And then… He changed, almost like he became a completely different person. It was like the changes of heart you guys caused, except backwards and more subtle at first and drawn out. Sienna Khan may have allowed violence, but at least she was somewhat sensible about it. She picked her spots, and very rarely permitted outright killing outside of self defense. What Adam became… it was far worse. He tried to kill any human he came across on our missions and raids, sometimes going out of his way to do so. That was the final straw for me… My last mission, I was with him. We were supposed to hijack a train carrying a ton of SDC Dust. But Adam wanted to blow up the train, and all the human workers along with it. I just... By that point, I couldn't stand to be a part of any more killing, so when I got the chance, I cut the connection between the two cars we were on. That was the last time I ever saw him, standing there, angrily watching as I sped off in the distance. From that point on, I dedicated myself to becoming a Huntress, so that I could help bring peace to both Humans and the Faunus, after everything wrong that I did."

As she finished speaking, her voice started to crack and she started staring at the metal floor of the airship. Yang moved across the aisle to take the other seat next to Blake, wrapping an arm behind her and started stroking her back, slowly and gently.

"I'm sorry for hiding this from you for all this time… I know you're my teammates, my… my friends, and I know I should be able to trust you, but something like this… being a part of the White Fang…" Her breath hitched, "I just knew there was no way you all would let me stay if you knew… Even just being a Faunus is bad enough for some. But for me… You all heard what Weiss said about the White Fang…"

"Blake…" Ruby had stood up while Blake was speaking, moving right in front of her without anyone realizing. She stood there, staring at Blake with a neutral expression, until out of nowhere, she raised her hand and swiftly brought it down, lightly chopping Blake on her head, right between her ears. Blake went to rub the now sore spot, but before she could react any more than that, she became covered in rose petals, as Ruby dashed forward, pulling her into a tight hug, "You big dummy! Why would we ever do that to you?! You're our friend! Stupid…"

"Ruby, I… How can you say that?" She struggled, but the smaller girl's grip never loosened, "I'm not entirely innocent, you know. All those raids, everything I did while I was still a member of the White Fang, I did it all without a second thought, and-"

"And you already clearly regret all of it." Yang beamed, her hand still carefully caressing her back, "And you're working towards making up for it. Anyone that says or does anything to you, and yes that includes yourself, is just punching down at this point. We're not letting you go anywhere, and that's final."

"But-"

"Sorry Blake, but she's right." Farran tightly wrapped his hand around one of hers, "After everything we've gone through this weekend after you left, do you  _really_ think we'd just up and kick you out? Not only did we spend Gods know how long looking around town for you, but we got our asses kicked by Shadows all over your Palace too. Hell, Yang almost made out with Ruby for your sake!"

"I'm sorry, what?" Blake blinked.

"Don't listen to that asshole, Blake! He's a liar!" Yang growled, "That's not at all how it happened, and you know it, you Gods damned perv!"

"If I wasn't hugging Blake right now, I'd kick you Farran…" Ruby grumbled.

For the first time all weekend, Blake let out a genuine laugh at their antics. The four of them sat there for a bit, Blake enjoying the comfort offered by her teammates. Even so, there came a point when she'd had enough, and started squirming to free herself. The sisters returned to their seats as Blake bit her lip nervously, "So… is there anything else you guys need to know? I don't really know what else it would be related to."

Farran peaked out the airship's window, noticing the landing strips at Beacon approaching fast, "Nah, I think that should be good. Looks like we're gonna be landing any minute now anyways."

"Alright." Blake nodded, then gave them all a determined look, "Guys, when you go to the other world… I'm coming with you."

"What?!" Ruby squeaked.

"Yeah, that ain't happening, Kitten." Yang frowned.

"Don't call me that!" Blake huffed, "And why not? It's my Shadow, and my other self we're dealing with, right?"

"Uh, hello! It's way too dangerous for you to come along! In case you forgot, the whole reason we're all scrambling here is cause Weiss managed to find her way in with us, and now look what happened!"

"That's exactly why I want to come! The fact that she's in danger is completely my fault. You guys went into my cognitive world with her to try and save me, and it's my Shadow that's threatening to kill her. I can't just sit around at the dorm doing nothing while you're all risking your lives." She folded her arms, "And besides, even if you say I can't come with you, I'll just do it anyways. You already told me how to get to the other world, all I have to do is be in the room with you when you guys activate the app."

"Then we'll just have to make sure you can't get into the storage closet with us."

"And how exactly do you plan on doing that, Yang? You planning on tying me down?"

"Don't you dare tempt me. I might just take you up on that." Yang tried to keep a serious face, but she couldn't stop the edges of her lips from twitching.

"Yang, don't be gross." Ruby slugged her sister on the shoulder, "Now's really not the time."

"Alright, think about it this way. If you guys defeat my Shadow and save Weiss, it'll change my heart. But then, would I still have a Shadow to face in order for me to get a Persona after that? Or would I never be able to get one at all?"

Farran furrowed his brow, "That… I have no idea, honestly. I never thought we'd run into this problem, and Viola never said anything about this. But Blake, does that mean you plan on trying to get a Persona, and start fighting with us in the other world?"

"I don't see why not." She just shrugged, "The job of a Huntress is to fight to protect the people of this world, isn't it? Even if my Palace doesn't affect very many people, you guys already took down Richards and made life better for all the Faunus at Beacon, on top of whatever his testimony can do to bring down the Diamond Dust trade. Who knows what else we could do with this."

"…Do you think you'll be able to accept your Shadow, though? Take it from me, it's not easy…"

"I have no idea…" Blake shut her eyes, tight, "I wish I could give you a simple 'yes', but from what you guys described… I just don't know. But I don't really have a choice but to give it a try. Like I already said, I can't sit around doing nothing."

"Blake… Fine. You can come with us. But I want you to remember one thing." Ruby pointed at herself, " _I_ am the leader of this team, and what I say, goes. If it gets too dangerous for whatever reason, and I tell you to run, you run. Don't argue or question it, just get out of there. Got it?"

Blake nodded, "Yes, I understand. Thank you, Ruby."

Ruby held her pose for a few seconds, smiling proudly, until Yang let out a snort of laughter, "Aww, look at my little sister being such a grown up leader! So cute…"

"S-Shut up!" Ruby's cheeks flushed red, "Stop treating me like a little kid! I'm the leader of this team, and I should be respected and  _feared_!"

"Sorry Ruby, but I've seen goldfish that are more intimidating than you." Blake snickered.

"Blake, you traitor!" She pouted.

"Now landing at Beacon Academy!" The pilot's voice rang over the intercom, "I repeat, now landing at Beacon Academy!"

"Looks like this is our stop." Farran pushed himself out of his seat, looking one last time at the clock which read 10:50, "Just over an hour to work with. Let's go get Weiss back, guys."

* * *

Viola paced along the shoreline at the entrance of Blake's Palace for what must have been the hundredth time. The others were running far later than expected, and they were desperately running out of time. She could still sense that Weiss girl, all the way up at the top floor, along with the Palace ruler, which at least meant she was still alive, but there was nothing Viola could do to help her. She'd already tried every trick she could think of to get past the cognitive barrier, but every attempt led to her being tied up by a tidal wave of ribbons. After her last attempt had ended with her being strung up upside-down, desperately holding the hem of her dress in place with her one free hand, she'd finally given up and resigned herself to waiting by the entrance. After about her one hundred fiftieth pass along the beach, a crack of thunder rang out as a blue light expanded in front of her, slowly expanding to fill the room. When it finally faded and Viola could see again, Farran, Ruby, and Yang appeared before her, standing in the sand, as well as a new girl that looked terrifyingly familiar.

"You brought the Palace ruler here?!" Viola stared despondently at Blake as the others got their wits about them.

"Not by choice," Farran grumbled, "But we were at least aware that she was coming along this time. Why, is it bad to bring someone into their own Palace?"

"I wouldn't say it's bad, but just like bringing anyone else without a Persona, it's extremely dangerous."

"Oh, don't worry. She knows all about it, but she still demanded we bring her along. Isn't that right, Kitten?" Yang smirked at Blake, only to find her staring off into space, "…Blake?"

"I know this place…" She murmured breathlessly, "I've been here before."

"Wait, what?! This place actually exists? In the real world?" Ruby gaped.

"Yes, in Menagerie. This was an old prison from back before the Great War. Back then, before Menagerie belonged to the Faunus, this place was used as a prison for our kind. After the continent was given to us, there was a lot of debate over what to do with it. Some wanted to renovate it and use it as our own jail, some wanted to knock out the cells and turn it into some bazaar or a shopping center, and most just wanted to tear it down and turn it into farmland. Even the White Fang, both under my father and Sienna Khan, wanted to turn it into a base of operations. But between the way it was built and where, underground and right by the coast, doing anything with it was a logistical nightmare. So, they just left it as it was, sitting there unoccupied and unguarded." She laughed, "Thing about places like that, is that kids always have a habit of sneaking in."

"Wait, are you saying you snuck in here when you were a little kid?" Farran raised an eyebrow.

"It was the perfect place to hang out! The place was huge, there was a ton of space for all the kids in town to have their own little area without stepping on anyone else's toes, and it even came with a swimming pool!" She gestured towards the water, "After a while, our parents realized that they couldn't stop us from sneaking in here, so they started a project to remove all the rusted metal and everything dangerous that had been left over, and installed lights everywhere, especially in here. I can't think of anyone that I knew that didn't learn to swim in here. Although, I didn't really join them much…"

"Aww, you scared of the water, Kitty Cat?" Yang tittered.

"Wha- NO! That's not it at all… And quit calling me that!" Blake groaned, "Look, you see that dark spot in the middle? There's a tunnel down there that leads all the way out to the ocean, as far as anyone knows at least. That's how the water in here stays so clean. I just… I know it's stupid, but I was always freaked out about the current being to strong, and it sucking me down and all the way out to the ocean. That's all…"

"Wait, it goes to the ocean?" Viola opened up Farran's scroll to the map of the Palace, "But in here, it goes to some solitary confinement cell…"

"A cell? Oh, right. You guys said one of the Prisoners here was going to be transferred somewhere like that." She shrugged, "I suppose it's possible, but as far as I know, nobody really knew for sure. Nobody that had any kind of aquatic trait really wanted to go swimming through a tight, dark tunnel like that to find out. All I know is my parents just always told me it went to the ocean."

"That's weird. I wonder why it would be different in here then…" Farran shook his head, "Alright, what else can you tell us about this place? Like, is there any kind of shortcut or secret passage up to the top floor that we can use?"

"Sadly, no. I can tell you that much with complete certainty." Blake ran a hand along the cave wall, "Believe me, if there was anything like that here, we'd have found it. All the kids from my village had to have checked every inch of this place over the years, looking for anything of interest. And…" Her knuckles cracked as she balled her hand into a fist, "You said Weiss was being kept on the top floor, right?"

Ruby balked at the question, "…Yeah, that's right. That's where your Shadow's 'lair' is. Why, what's wrong with that?"

"Because that floor is where the prison's exit should be. And more importantly…" She turned to them with a grim expression, "The top floor is what we always called the 'Executioner's Grounds'. The humans that built this place, back when it was a prison for the Faunus, thought that being imprisoned here wasn't enough. They used the top floor, the entrance to the prison, as an area to torture, or outright execute, any of the prisoners. That way, it always served as a reminder that the humans would decide exactly how we were able to leave this place. And if Weiss is up there with my Shadow…"

"Then we need to get up there. Now." Ruby finished her sentence, "Even if we still have time, who knows what could be happening to her right now."

At Ruby's command, the group made their way up through the Palace, now free to follow the shortest route possible due to the lack of Shadows. Blake seemed to be fine throughout the first floor, but once they reached the second, she became visibly disturbed. Many of the cell doors now contained deep gashes, some even going all the way through, from her Shadow's earlier onslaught of the guards, allowing them to see the horrid conditions inside the cells, and every so often, the prisoners would stick their hands and arms through the sheared metal. To make matters worse, the prisoners continued their earsplitting howls and moans all throughout the floor, which for as bad as it was for Farran, he couldn't imagine how bad it must have been for Blake, with her sensitive Faunus hearing. Still, they pressed on, Farran and Yang keeping a hand on Blake's back, both to keep her moving, and to serve as a mode of constant reassurance. When they finally reached the fourth floor, and started crossing the room where Yang and Farran had battled the Nekomata earlier, Blake finally waved them off her, despite still being clearly disturbed by the Faunus occupying the cells that lined the room.

"Alright guys, this is it!" Yang pumped her fist as they drew nearer to the stairwell to the final floor, "All we gotta do is take care of Blake's Shadow, save Weiss, and get the hell out of- GLARGH!"

Yang was cut off mid-sentence, letting out a loud retching sound. The second she stepped through the doorway, just as they had before, numerous black ribbons shot from the walls around her, tangling themselves around her throat, and anywhere else they could reach. The other four grabbed the gagging, struggling blonde, pulling her back through the doorway, forcing the ribbons to release their grip on her. Gasping for breath, Yang fell down to her knees, glaring at where the ribbons had come from.

"What the hell was  _that_?!" Yang rubbed the red ring that had formed around her neck, "They were supposed to be gone! Blake, you aren't still hiding anything from us, are you?!"

"What? N-No! Of course not! I mean, I don't think so…" She bit her lip, "I told you everything I could think of… I have no clue what this thing wants!"

"Hold on…" Ruby stared intently at the doorway, "Yang, do me a favor. Just stick your arm through there again, ok?"

"Uh, ok…?" She pushed herself back to her feet, "Sure thing Rubes, but I don't see how much good it's gonna do."

Following her instructions, Yang stuck her arm through the doorway. Just as they had before, the ribbons sprung to life the second her arm crossed the threshold, ensnaring themselves around it. However, when Ruby mimicked her sister's actions, sticking her own arm through the door, nothing happened. The stairwell remained still and calm, and no ribbons shot out to stop her.

"Oh, come on!" Yang spouted indignantly, "How come they're not attacking you?!"

"These ribbons… Oh, I get it now!" Ruby spun around, beaming at Blake, "I didn't even think about it before. Blake, Yang and Viola still haven't seen your ears yet!"

"…My ears?" Blake tilted her head.

"Uh-huh, your kitty ears! Obviously you've seen your own ears, so you're fine, and Farran and I saw them earlier too. But by the time you came back from being questioned, you'd already put your bow back on, so Yang couldn't have seen them, and this is your first time ever meeting Viola!"

"I suppose it makes sense… You've been hiding everything about yourself from us, being a member of the White Fang and all that, from day one. More importantly, you've been hiding the fact that you're a Faunus, one of the most important parts of your identity. And the only way you were able to hide that as well as you have is, well…" Farran looked at the top of her head.

"My bow… So, the only way we can all get through is if I take it off?" She muttered, reaching up and touching the fabric, "Ok then…"

Effortlessly, she grabbed the end of her bow and pulled, the ribbon falling free and revealing her ears. The second the fur of her ears became exposed for them all to see, the ribbons that had held a vice grip on Yang's arm loosened, slithering off and back disappearing back where they had come from. With her arm now free, Yang began to furiously wave her arm in the doorway, until she was content that the ribbons wouldn't suddenly spring back to life and grab her again.

"Well, that worked…" She muttered. She turned to Blake, her eyes sparkling once her gaze turned to the Faunus' ears, "Aww, look at your ears! They're adorable! And they look so soft too… Why'd you hide these from us for so long?"

She reached up to pet her ears, only for Blake to swat her hand away, "Yang, cut it out… Can you quit staring at them? They're just a part of me, nothing special, but at the same time, it's like you're ogling my… No, I shouldn't say that… You do that just as much anyway."

Yang gasped in faux-offense, "Excuse me? I have never been so insulted in all my life! The nerve to imply I would ever ogle my best friend and partner's assets… It's unthinkable! I would never do such a thing… while you're aware I'm doing it, at least." She grinned cheekily, but after a moment of Blake not reacting to her joke, Yang quickly frowned, "Wait, you're serious…? Blake, I'm sorry, I never meant any offense by it! I don't know all too much about Faunus culture or anything, there weren't that many around Patch, so if they're really that private, I-"

"No, really, it's ok… If anything, I should apologize for overreacting. Intimate contact like petting is usually reserved for couples or parents, but it's not really that big of an issue. It's just… Now that you guys know what I am, I don't want you treating me any different, you know? I just want to be Blake to you… And my ears, I just want them to be normal for you too. Not like I just sprouted a second head or anything like that..." She started blushing, "Anyways, it's all clear, right? So, let's get going…"

She started forward, moving through the doorway without any delay, her teammates in close pursuit behind her. They ascended the damp, moss covered stairwell, Yang keeping a wary, annoyed eye on the walls around them, half waiting for another trap to spring forward on them. At the very top, they found a set of large, oaken double doors, almost identical to the set that had opened up into Shadow Richards's lair. With a grunt, Farran and Yang strained to push it open, the door creaking loudly as it swung open to allow them passage inside. The group crept inside, only to be met with the sound of soft, slow clapping as the door swung shut behind them. They found themselves inside a large, circular room, surrounded by stone walls and another set of oaken doors on the opposite side. The entire place was empty, save for a wooden scaffolding supporting a gallows, and in the middle, smirking menacingly at the group, stood Shadow Blake, Weiss held tightly in front of her. The cloak of billowing darkness that had once covered her had now lifted, allowing them to see that she wore what looked to be the heavily damaged remains of a prisoner's uniform. What had once been an orange jacket now hung loosely overtop a yellowing-white tank top, her orange pants now almost hung off her form like a skirt.

"I must say, you've surprised me." She stood there, bloodlust in her eyes, her hand returning to Weiss's neck, "I figured you would have been halfway to Vacuo by now. You do have a habit of running away from all your problems. Don't you, Me?"

"I figured as much," Blake spat, "How did I know that you were the Prisoner they were talking about?"

"It makes perfect sense, doesn't it? This is your Palace! The world where all of your desires are made manifest, and the way you see the world around you is made clear as day. Of course, even in your own Palace, the place where you are supposed to be treated like royalty, you've been treated as a prisoner instead. After all, even in the safety and comfort of your own mind, you're still a criminal, aren't you?" Shadow Blake chuckled, "All the people you've hurt, and all the things you stole as a member of the White Fang… And after tonight, you'll be responsible for the murder of the Schnee family heiress as well!"

"Let her go. NOW." Blake stepped forward dangerously, reaching for Gambol Shroud.

"Why, Blake, isn't it normal for friends to hold each other?" Shadow Blake wrapped her free arm around Weiss's torso, pulling her in a faux-hug.

"You aren't her friend!" Blake growled, "Now let her go!"

Her Shadow let out a bark of laughter, "You're right, I'm not her friend… And I'm you. So tell me, Blake. What exactly does that mean?"

"Blake…" Weiss barely squeaked over the Shadow's grip.

"Aww, what's the matter Ice Queen? Did you really think I was your friend? You, the daughter of the man who practically enslaves hundreds of thousands of my people? No. You were never my friend. Your entire family sits back in your mansion, forcing my kind to be slaves, working us to the bone just to keep ourselves fed and clothed! You look down on us, and treat us like animals! I endured being with you day after day after day, putting a smile on my face to keep the team going. But not any more. Tonight, I am free, and I'm going to slit your pretty little throat like I should have from the start..."

Blake drew Gambol Shroud, her eyes sparking with deadly intent, "Shut up! You keep talking about things you know nothing about. Just... Just let her go!"

"Oh, is that right?" Shadow Blake stared at her, unimpressed, "I know  _everything_  about you, Blake. Everything. I know that ever since the White Fang you've thrown up walls around your heart the second ANYONE gets remotely close. Your teammates want friendship and you grow distant. They want to get closer to you, and you  _run_. But that's not all I know. I know that no matter how hard you tried, you couldn't keep your heart in check…" Shadow Blake's voice turned to a titter as she continued, "Her silky, silver hair! Those perfect blue eyes! That smooth, pale skin… And it wasn't just her looks either. The more you got to know her, the more you notice just how sweet and kind she could be. How cute she was whenever she was proud of something she did, or how adorable she could be whenever she got embarrassed or flustered. No matter how hard you tried to stop it from happening, after being forced to live with her every day, you couldn't help falling in love! Falling in love with the Schnee family heiress of all people? You just refused to let that happen, didn't you? You replaced those feelings of love with feelings of HATE. And the more you grew to love this poor girl, the more you hated her. Let's face it Blake, you'd rather hate poor Weiss for what she is, than love her for who she is. You are no better than Jacques Schnee himself! But that's not all you feel, now is it? It's not just Weiss that-"

"Shut up!" Blake screamed. Gambol Shroud fell to the floor as she reached up, holding her head in her hands, "You… you don't know…

"Blake... You... love me...?" Weiss struggled to speak as Shadow Blake tightened her grip around her throat, jagged nails digging into Weiss's porcelain skin.

"Well, whatever… I suppose it doesn't really matter now, does it? Love her, hate her, however you feel is all pointless in the end. After all, no matter how you feel about poor Weiss here, you won't be able to see her for much longer, or any of your teammates for that matter. Tell me Blake, what exactly would happen if I were to just give Weiss back to you? Do you really think everything would just go back to the way it was before? That your 'friends' would let you stay? No. Now that they know who you  _really_ are, it's only a matter of time until you're back on your own again."

"That's not true!" Ruby piped up, "Blake, we would never-"

"Oh, please. You really think I can trust you? Like I trusted Farran when he said that I could believe in Weiss? That she wasn't like her father, and that she wouldn't hate me because I'm a Faunus? They've seen what you are, Blake. They see how you feel. All those humans and Faunus in cages… This lie you've been living, trying to move on and become a Huntress, is all coming to an end. But there is some hope for you…"

"Some… hope?" Blake muttered.

"Of course! It's all very simple… We kill Weiss tonight. Then, you can go back to the White Fang, back to Adam, get down on your knees, and grovel at his feet! Beg him to forgive you for betraying him! I'm sure between that, and having the blood of the daughter of Jacques Schnee on your hands… He might just let you prove your loyalty to him." Shadow Blake cackled, "And of course you'd do it too! You'd do anything for Adam, wouldn't you?"

"…Stop it…"

"Oh, that's right. You never told them, now did you? Even when you promised to tell them everything, even when one of your teammates might die, you just couldn't help but lie to them, could you? I know it's been haunting you all this time, Blake… Ever since you ran away from the White Fang. All the things Adam did, all those humans he killed… Their blood is on your hands, too. You could have stopped him at any time, but you didn't. You did  _nothing_  because he was your boyfriend, and you loved him, and because of that, you would do anything he told you, and believed anything he said!"

"That... That isn't true! You don't know anything about me..." Blake's voice was barely a whisper.

Shadow Blake smirked, "Oh, I do. I know everything about you... After all, I AM you. A shadow, of your true self."

"No…" Blake growled forcefully.

"No Blake, don't do it!" Farran called, but it was far too little, too late.

"YOU ARE NOT ME!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, I never said this was only going to reference Persona 5, did I? :3c
> 
> Hey guys!
> 
> Sorry for disappearing for a bit. I work at an old folks home, and whenever there's any kind of bug or cold or anything like that going around, you're almost guaranteed to get it. Anyone who has gone to college or any kind of boarding school can attest to that. It passes around from person to person like the damn plague, and no amount of lysol or hand sanitizer can save you for long... ¬_¬ So, I got put out of comission longer than I would have liked, but I'm back now.
> 
> Now, this scene, the last one with Shadow Blake and Weiss, that was the scene that started all this madness. Four months ago, somebody posted a pic on the RWBY subreddit of Blake and Weiss, where Blake was holding Weiss by the throat. Even if it wasn't the original context of the work, it looked exactly like a scene out of a Persona game, so I wrote up a little blurb about it. In the end, I had so much fun writing it, that it just sort of snowballed into... Well, this whole thing! I've said it before, but at that point, I had no clue how big this would all get.
> 
> Well, I better call this one here before I start rambling and getting sappy, cause I really do appreciate all your support. I hope you guys are ready for the next chapter, cause it's finally gonna be Boss Time!
> 
> Inferno :D


	20. From Shadows

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, just a word of warning. I don't know if what I've written will set anybody off, but we're going to be covering Blake's relationship with Adam in this chapter, which is pretty… you know. So, for anyone who struggled with an abusive relationship, if it gets to be too much, don't feel bad if you need to skip through the chapter. I'd rather my writing not ruin anyone's day. That said, let's get to it!

Blake's emphatic denial of her Shadow echoed fiercely off the stone walls of the chamber. For a brief moment, a feeble, silver thread of unsubstantiated hope that nothing bad would happen hung in the otherwise silent air, but it was severed all too soon as Shadow Blake began to laugh. It started off quiet, almost a giggle, but soon turned into a full on howl, and as it increased in volume, so too did her voice grow more distorted. A swirling mass of darkness began to swallow her and Weiss, as her form began to stretch and shift. Weiss stuck a hand out to them, mouthing one last silent plea for help, tears forming in her eyes, before she too was lost to the torrent of shadows. The pure power of Shadow Blake's transformation sent shockwaves and gusts of wind hurling around the chamber, knocking the group back a few feet.  


As the Shadow began to grow, the scaffolding underneath it began to let out an earsplitting creak, until finally, it collapsed altogether under its weight. A moment passed, and all was still, the Shadow lying in the rubble motionless, no longer growing. Then, a horrifying ripping sound filled the air as mammoth arm shot out of the mass of darkness, its whole length covered in thick, black fur, matted with what looked like blood. It slammed down a bloody paw down to the ground, razor claws digging deep into the stone floor. Soon, another identical arm protruded from the opposite side, and together, they pushed the Shadow's hulking form up to be supported by a pair of hind legs, both just as massive, and covered in the same hair. The Shadow loomed above them, stretching itself, when the darkness that concealed its true appearance finally fell. It's true form looked almost like a Beowolf, although it was far more gargantuan in size, standing taller than even an Ursa, and its features were far more feline in nature. A coarse mane of black fur lined its head, from which extended two ram horns. Its jowls were curled up in a snarl, flecks of bloody slobber falling from lines of serrated teeth, down to mar its fur.

A long, gnarled tail jutted out from its hind end, curling up and snaking around a golden ring to hold up a human-sized glass container, the contents of which almost made Farran's heart stop. In the middle of the case's golden pedestal stood Weiss, her form frozen in time, encased in crystal, much like a dancer in a music box. She held her hands out in front and above her to support a single rose that stood almost as tall as she was, glowing crimson light emanating from its petals.

It glared down at them with glowing golden eyes, as it reared back and let out a thunderous roar. Ruby, Yang, and Farran readied their weapons, preparing for a fight, but they froze as Blake, who was standing by them, fell to her knees and collapsed, clutching her head. It was then that the beast charged, its claws tossing bits of rubble in its wake as it bared down on them. Farran felt whiplash in his wrists as he broke his chains, summoning Minotaur between them and the Shadow. The bull-man charged forward, and with its Herculean strength, grappled with the beast and stopped it in its tracks, just as it was about to reach Blake. Using the brief opening, Viola sprinted through, picking up Blake as best as she could, and pulled her back out of the room, taking cover behind the door to the stairwell. A moment later, a soft light spread throughout the room, as Viola scanned the Shadow.

"This is gonna be a tough one, guys." She projected her voice into the others' ears, "It has no weaknesses. On top of that, it completely blocks light and dark attacks, and is highly resistant to electric-based skills as well!"

"Thanks Viola. What's wrong with Blake?" Farran barely managed to get the words out through gritted teeth. Despite Minotaur's immense strength, the Shadow was already managing to overpower the Persona.

"She's fine for now, just in a lot of pain. Her mind has become a battlefield for control between her consciousness and her Shadow. Shadows crave acceptance, and when a Shadow wants something, they will do whatever they can to get it. Even fighting for control over their host, or outright killing them. I don't want to add any more pressure on you guys, but I don't know how long a human or Faunus can last under this kind of duress, and more importantly, her Shadow will continue to rampage in that form until it kills her, or is somehow stopped. You guys need to find a way to beat it, and fast!"

"Tell us something we don't know, V…" Yang grunted.

The floor beneath them began to shake, as Shadow Blake managed to outmuscle Minotaur, picking it up off the ground, and swiftly tossing it to the side. Its sole roadblock out of the way, the beast steamrolled to them, swiping hard at Farran once he was within striking distance. Pain exploded from his chest, the contact knocking all the air out of his lungs, as he was tossed like a ragdoll through the air. Yang tried to take advantage of the Shadow now being on her level, summoning Pele, who unleashed a barrage of fiery punches at the beast. The first two struck home, leaving deep singes on Shadow Blake's chest. The third, an uppercut to its jaw, appeared as if it had made contact as well, however, it somehow missed its mark, catching nothing but open air. The Shadow, which was now much lower than where Pele had been aiming, lashed at her, its claws slashing deep through the Persona's torso, which exploded into a shower of sparks. Yang let out a grunt of pain, falling to her knees and grasping at her chest, where her Persona had just been lacerated.

The Shadow pounced on Yang, raising its claw high to strike her down, but before it could move, Ruby called forth Lupa, sending a cyclone of wind right to the heart of the beast, launching it off her sister and across the room. The she-wolf gave chase, trading blows with the beast, and countering its colossal strength with her speed. Shadow Blake lashed out at Lupa in a rage, but its strikes found nothing but air, as the Persona bobbed and weaved around, picking away at any of the Shadow's exposed limbs with her scythe. It seemed as if Lupa had managed to swing the momentum of the fight back in their favor, as the Shadow began to stumble. At Ruby's command, Lupa swung her scythe once more, but just as it was about to make contact with the Shadow, it vanished. Somehow, the beast had sidestepped the attack, and before Lupa could recover, it reached down and grabbed her, raising her body skyward. It held her there for a moment, before swinging down, and smashing her hard across its knee. Ruby and Lupa let out simultaneous howls of pain, as Lupa exploded in a burst of blue light, disappearing from the Shadow's grasp.

Farran picked himself from the spot he was landed in time to see Lupa disappear. His chest still felt as if someone was holding a torch to it, and his back and sides weren't faring much better after skidding across the floor. A bright light started shining behind him, as he channeled a bit of energy to his back, summoning his wings. With a grunt, he kicked off the ground, soaring as fast as he could manage at the Shadow. As drew Silverbreak, gripping it tight as he drew near, staring down the Shadow, which seemed to be preoccupied with Ruby and Yang. He swung with all his might, seemingly burying Silverbreak's blade in the back of the beast's neck, but just as it made contact, it vanished once again. Farran didn't even have time to blink before something heavy slammed into his back, as Blake's Shadow spiked him out of the air. He was barely able to tuck his head before the unforgiving stone floor rose up to meet him. He wheezed, grimacing as his entire back roared with pain. The Shadow squatted down and leapt up, pushing its massive frame far higher into the air than it had any right to go, aiming its hind legs to stomp on Farran, forcing him to roll out of the way before he could be crushed. He put as much distance between himself and the beast as he could once he righted himself, breaking the chains around his wrist once again to summon Salamander. The beast and the fire-lizard stared each other down, trading thunderous roars that echoed off the stone walls, Blake's Shadow rushed forward, reaching out for the Salamander, but just as its claws closed around the Persona, it let out a howl of pain, pulling back away. It howled in pain, as the flesh and fur of its paw had become visibly seared through to the bone from the Salamander's burning scales. Salamander inhaled deeply, its body glowing brighter, as it let loose a stream of white-hot flames from its mouth, setting the beast's entire body alight.

The Shadow thrashed about, howling maniacally, as it tried to put the flames out, but to no avail. It fell to its knees, looking as if it might collapse, but before it could, the glass container that held Weiss began to glow with a fierce light. The light spread across the beast's form, somehow dowsing the flames that covered it, but more than that, the singe marks left by Pele and Salamander, as well as the slashes across its limbs from Lupa's scythe, all seemed to heal in an instant. The Shadow rolled, leaping back to its feet, as the light began to shift. Instead of spreading out from the case, it turned inwards, coursing through the Shadow's tail, into its stomach, and then finally resting just below its throat. It leaned back, coughing hoarsely, as the light began to move up its throat. Then, after a moment, its head snapped forward, as a thick beam of electrical energy shot from its gullet. The beam crackled through the air, and before Farran could react, it slammed into Salamander's side, piercing straight through, Time began to slow, as every inch of his body was covered in blistering pain, and he dropped to the ground like a stone. He lay there uselessly as the Shadow plodded over to him.

"Blake… stop…!" Farran wheezed, "You don't… have to do this!"

"Don't I?!" The Shadow's voice was much lower and heavily distorted, but even through the distortion, it was unmistakably Blake's voice, "Do you really think I can just let you live? Let all of you walk out of this place after everything you've seen? You know everything about me now, you know that I'm a criminal! The second you all leave, you're going to run to the police and tell them everything!"

"We wouldn't… do that to you, Blake…" Farran grunted, "You're our teammate… our friend! We would never… do something like that!"

"Shut up, shut up, shut up!" Blake's Shadow howled, "Teammates… Friendship… Trust… Do you really expect me to believe all of that? To believe you?! That whole 'trust in your teammates' bullshit was made up by a man that knowingly kept someone who was actively harming and harassing students employed! And you… You told me Weiss wouldn't hate me for being a Faunus! You told me she was trying to change! And I believed you… For once, I actually believed that everything would be ok, that I wouldn't have to run any more… That I finally found a place to belong. Only for that hope and the trust I put in you to be thrown back in my face. This is all your fault, Farran!"

"I just wanted… to help you, Blake…"

"If you're serious… If you really want to help me…" Shadow Blake reared back, her throat shining once again with a harsh light, "Then you'll die!"

It was almost as if Farran's arms moved on their own accord, snapping apart the chain that bound them. In a flash of blue light, Salamander dissipated into thin air, only to be replaced by Nekomata, who stood between Farran and the beast, almost immediately becoming engulfed by its lightning. Once again, Farran felt burning pain throughout his body, but this time, it was far less severe, thanks to Nekomata's resistance to electricity. Enraged that he managed to survive again, the Shadow raised a claw heavenward, looking to put an end to him, but before it could move, the beast was lifted off its feet and thrown through the air by a massive ball of fire. A green light started to emanate over Farran, as he felt a wave of cool energy wash over him, slowly healing his wounds. After a second wave of healing, and then a third, Farran was finally able to push himself back to his feet.

"Farran!" Yang's voice rang out behind him, "Over… Over here!"

He spun around to see her standing there, panting heavily. Ruby was next to her, barely supported by wobbling legs, and between them stood their Personas, neither looking much better than the two that wielded them. Farran rushed over to them, just barely reaching Ruby before she toppled over. On the opposite side of the chamber, the Shadow had finally pulled itself back up, but instead of continuing its attack, it pulled the glass dome connected to its tail around, checking over it greedily for any damage it might have suffered.

He held onto Ruby, keeping her upright long enough for her to heal herself, "Are you guys ok?"

"I'm fine. It just really hurt my back when Lupa got hit like that…" She rubbed the small of her back with a grimace on her face, "Owwie…"

"I hear you on that, Rubes. That thing hits like a shit brick house. Doesn't help I'm still sore from fighting that cat thing earlier..." Yang glared at Blake's Shadow, "Anybody got any ideas? Cause it looks to me like every time we hit that thing, it just ends up healing itself."

"I think you're right, Yang…" Viola's voice came from around them, "It seems that glass dome that girl is in is what's keeping it going. The only way you guys will be able to beat it is to cut the Shadow off from it, somehow."

"Cut it off? But that…" Ruby gave the crystalline figure inside the dome a worried look, "If we do that, is Weiss gonna be ok?

"I think so, Ruby. Remember what happened when I fought Cardin's Shadow?" Farran spun Silverbreak around in his hand, "The second my sword got knocked out of his hand, it went back to normal."

"Farran's right. Once she falls away from the Shadow's influence, the distortions will no longer affect her, and she'll return to normal. However, there's one big issue with that…" Viola paused for a moment, "Once she's back to her normal self, she'll immediately become a target for the Shadow. She'll be in danger, and completely vulnerable. Which means, your best bet to free her is right when it's about to heal, then take it out before it can attack."

"Which is a problem in and of itself…" Farran groaned, "How are we supposed to do this when we can't even hit it. It keeps teleporting out of the way of our attacks."

"Teleporting… No, that's not it." Yang's eyes lit up, "That thing's using Blake's Semblance! I didn't even realize cause I was so focused on the fight."

"Her Semblance?!" Ruby turned back towards the door, "Is it even possible for a Shadow to use a person's Semblance?"

"I… I have no idea." Viola stammered, "I'm going to be honest, nothing like this has ever come up before, to my knowledge at least. I will say, it makes sense that a Shadow could use someone's Semblance, considering they're a part of them."

"Well, if it's using her semblance, then…" Ruby chewed her lip for a second, "Alright, I have a plan. It's going to be hard, but we're going to have to time our attacks so that either her Shadow can't dodge, or if it does, it will be in a position where it can't dodge a follow up one."

"Sounds good enough to me. Not like we got a whole lot of other options at the moment." Yang flexed a bicep, "You gonna be ok, Farran? That thing used u as a chew toy for a bit."

"Yeah, I'll be fine. I don't think I have enough energy to use Salamander or Minotaur for a bit, but…" Farran smirked, "I still got a whole bunch of other Personas to work with here."

"Alright. How about you, Rubes?" Yang frowned, slightly, "Don't push yourself too hard, ok? You're the only one of us that can heal, remember? If one of us goes down-"

"I'm fine." Ruby cut her off, "I'm… I'm fine. Even if I have to use my last bit of strength to heal you guys, I'm fine. I have to be. What's most important is that we beat this Shadow, and save Weiss and Blake, no matter what."

Shadow Blake's thunderous roar echoed across the chamber, snapping them out of their conversation. Evidently, the trance the glass dome had once had over it had been broken, as it found its way back to its feet, rearing back and preparing to attack once more. Ruby motioned for Farran to stay back, while she and Yang stepped forward. Once the Shadow took a threatening step towards them, the two took off, circling around the room towards it, Yang firing Ember Celica behind her to keep a pace just slightly slower than her sister. Farran watched the sisters race to the Shadow, summoning the Musketeer to his side, and having him aim in preparation for an opening. Ruby and Lupa swung their scythes as the reached striking distance, but just as before, once they should have made contact, the Shadow seemed to vanish. It was then that Farran saw it, the Shadow stepping back while its clone remained to take the hit, but he was prepared for it. Now that the Shadow was backpedaling and focused on Ruby's attack, he had the Musketeer open fire, its attack tearing through the air right above Ruby, and striking the beast in the neck. Just as it started to reach up to its new wound, Yang caught up to the skirmish, as Pele leveled the Shadow with a clubbing lariat. The Shadow fell flat on its back, but as Ruby and Yang drew near, it let out another burst of electrical energy, forcing them back away from it. As the battle raged on, the trio continued utilizing that strategy, coming at the Shadow from different angles to prevent it from using Blake's Semblance to dodge their attacks. Farran found himself falling back into a support role more and more as the battle rolled on, as the Personas he still could use worked much better in that role. Charon's ice and Alraune's spells kept the Shadow vulnerable, while Echo, Kijimuna, and the Musketeer proved far better at providing long range attacks, as well as covering fire for Yang and Ruby. The sisters bobbed and weaved around the Shadow, moving far too fast for it to counterattack, as Pele and Lupa pummeled and slashed the beast at every opening. Eventually, the beast managed to force them back, even for just a moment, when the glass dome began to glint with light.

"Now!" Ruby bellowed, "Farran, Cardinal!"

At her command, Farran kicked off the ground, launching himself at the Shadow, keeping pace with Ruby. Just as they'd practiced, Ruby and Lupa ducked low, swiping at the Shadow's legs, only for it to leap up out of the way, where Farran and Abel were waiting for it, slicing through each of its shoulders. The Shadow let out a howl of pain as it fell back to the ground, barely able to stand.

Ruby planted Crescent Rose in the ground in front of her, "Strawberry Sunrise!"

Yang shot forward, leaping on top of her sister's scythe, as Pele did the same to Lupa's. The two launched Yang and her Persona skyward, both aiming uppercuts straight at the jaw of the beast. However, the Shadow managed to pull its head back just in time, as their fists harmlessly soared by. It waited until Yang was at the apex of her jump before it slashed at her, spiking the blonde out of the air and across the room. Yang gritted through the pain, contorting her body so that as she hit the ground, she rolled through and skidded to a stop.

"Farran, do it!" She barked.

Taking her audible as his cue, Farran dove back behind the beast, aiming to slash its tail with Silverbreak. Just as he got within reach, he felt a heavy force on his back, as the beast spun around and smashed him down into the ground. Blake's Shadow glared down at him, letting out another horrendous roar, but even so, Farran smirked through the pain, snapping his wrists apart. Lady Luck materialized behind the beast in a blue light, leaping up, and slashing through the Shadow's tail. With nothing left to support its weight, the dome fell, shattering upon the stone floor. Flecks of shadow started to rise from the destroyed dome, surrounding Weiss's still frozen form, until the whole of what was once her glass prison was surrounded in darkness. After a moment, the darkness finally fell, leaving nothing behind but Weiss's unconscious form, sleeping atop a bed of rose petals. The Shadow reared back, freeing Farran from its grasp, as it let out a howl of pain and fury.

From where she was standing, Yang watched the exchange, having Pele charge up as big of a fireball as she could muster with her remaining strength. As the flames in Pele's hands grew, they began to change color, from a deep red to a bright yellow, and finally to a fierce blue. The temperature in the room began to rise, as the air around her began to warp and ripple from the heat. Finally, once the beast released Farran, he rolled out of the way, giving her enough distance between him and the Shadow to launch it. The fireball crashed into Blake's Shadow, carrying it a good distance away from Weiss and Farran. For a moment, it appeared as if that were enough, as the Shadow lay still, embers smoldering in its fur, but after a moment, it slowly forced itself back upright, letting out one last defiant roar.

Ruby dashed forward, speeding right up to the Shadow. On her command, Lupa let out a howl, causing a gale of wind, strong and loud as cannon fire, to slam right into the Shadow's chest, lifting it high up in the air until it slammed into the chamber's ceiling. Persona and user gathered underneath the Shadow, timing everything up, and once it began to fall, they leapt up towards it. The two rose up to meet the Shadow, and with simultaneous slashes, the twin scythes cut through the belly of the beast, slicing it in two. Ruby landed in between the Shadow's remains, which quickly dissolved in a mass of darkness, leaving behind Shadow Blake in her original form.

* * *

Blake croaked out a barely audible groan as she forced herself to sit up. She'd lost any sense of how much time had passed after her Shadow had transform. The only thing she could remember was a giant mass of darkness forming, immediately followed by agonizing, searing pain that wracked her whole body. Days, weeks, maybe even months could have passed for all she knew, as the only sense she felt was that pain. Even now, it still felt as if her head were in a vice, although even that was preferable now that the rest of the pain had started to quickly die down. She took a quick look around, trying to get her wits back about her. Kneeling right next to her, with her hands tightly curled around the large door they had entered earlier, was the golden haired girl who Farran, Ruby, and Yang had referred to as Viola. She was peering into the next room, a relieved expression on her face, although she hadn't yet realized Blake had woken up. Blake followed her gaze into the room, where her three teammates started to gather together, each just barely standing on wobbling legs. And just past them, laying still on a bed of rose petals was…

"Weiss!" Blake blurted out, scrambling to her feet. She made it all of three steps into the room before she fell right back down to one knee.

"Easy, now! Easy…" Viola's gentle voice came from right beside her, as the golden haired girl helped her back to her feet, "Don't push yourself."

Blake took another worried look towards her unconscious teammate, "But Weiss is-"

"Going to be completely fine." Viola gave her a kind smile, "Trust me."

"…Can you at least take me to her?" Blake's ears flattened against her head.

"That, I can do."

Viola led a limping Blake through the chamber, and over to her teammates. She watched as a wolf in a white cape, which she believed was Ruby's Persona, prodded over to them, letting off a soft howl. A faint, green light surrounded the three, which began to cover and heal all of their more apparent injuries. Satisfied that they would be alright, Blake nervously turned to Weiss, heart beating faster with each second that the silver-haired girl didn't move, only to be overcome with elation once she saw her chest rising and falling. Viola helped Blake sit down next to her, where she gingerly took Weiss's slender hand.

"Weiss…" She muttered, softly brushing a lock of Weiss's usually immaculate hair off her face, "I'm so sorry… This… All of this is my fault."

"Well, I must say. I can't help but feel disappointed in you." A new, but familiar voice called out from across the room, sending tremors of terror down Blake's spine, "And yet, I can't say I'm surprised. Killing her should have been so simple for you, but it appears you're a traitor to the end. Aren't you… Darling?"

Blake looked up to see him slam the door on the opposite side of the chamber, which would normally lead to the exit in the real world, shut. He stalked towards her, looking as if he had just stepped out of her memory, or her nightmares, of the last time they had seen each other. He wore the same black trench coat, red shirt, and black pants he'd worn that day, and his crimson hair was swept back behind his horns just the same as well. Despite the top half of his face being covered by his Grimm mask, he gave off an aura of a calm and collected man, if a bit irked, but Blake knew far better. Everything about his demeanor contained the telltale signs that Adam Taurus was about to snap.

From off to her left, her Shadow, that thing that claimed it was a part of her, got up to her feet and ran over to him, "Adam, please! I'm sorry! I tried, but-"

"That's Warden to you!" Adam cut her off. He backhanded Shadow Blake across her face, knocking her to the ground, "We had an arrangement. You kill the Schnee girl, and you could take back your rightful place at my side. But you…" Adam turned back to Blake, "My love, you would stand against me and protect, not just a human, but the heiress of the Schnee family! You say I'm the one whose changed, but you… I can hardly even recognize you."

"Adam… How?!" Blake's pupils shrunk to pinpricks, "You can't be here! If what they told me is true… This should be impossible!"

"It's very simple, my love. No matter how far you run, no matter where in the world you hide, there is nowhere you can go where you can hide from me."

"Viola, what the hell is this guy? Another Shadow?" Farran grunted as he, Ruby, and Yang readied their weapons.

"No, not a Shadow." Viola muttered, "He's more like the prisoners downstairs. A living doll. But… He's strong. Very, very strong."

"You have betrayed everything we stand for, Blake!" Adam snarled, his voice booming, "You and I were going to change the world, remember? We were destined to light the fires of revolution! Yet here you are, running like a coward! And for what?! To save the lives of humans?!"

"I never wanted a revolution, Adam!" Blake cried, tears in her eyes, "Everything you did… All that violence… All the people you killed… I never wanted any of it! I wanted equality! I wanted peace!"

"LIAR!" Adam roared, "Even now, even after everything you've seen here, you'll still deny it?! This is your cognitive world, my love. The world of your desires! Everything here, all the humans and blood traitors imprisoned and tortured… Deep down in your heart, you know you want the same thing I do! Equality… Peace… Even if that was what you wanted, then what you want is impossible!" With a sigh, he drew his sword, Wilt, from its sheath, "But I understand because all I want is you, Blake. And as I set out upon this world and deliver the justice mankind so greatly deserves, I will make it my mission to destroy everything you love."

"Get away from her!" Yang's voice cried out.

To Blake's horror, Yang's hair began to glow as she activated her Semblance, and launched herself in the air towards Adam. Adam stood there, watching her, his lips curling slightly into a hellish grin. Everything seemed to move in slow motion for Blake, as she watched Adam ready his blade, as his own Semblance activated. The same Semblance that she had seen slaughter countless people, and turn powerful security robots into nothing more than dust with one slice. Blake wanted to scream for her to stop, but no matter what she tried, she couldn't make a sound. She watched in horror as the two drew closer, but just as Adam started to swing his blade, a blue light appeared before him. The blue light spawned a towering figure that looked as if it were half man and half bull, which grabbed his sword by the blade, stopping his attack. Adam grunted with annoyance, using his free hand to unhook Blush, the rifle which served as Wilt's scabbard. Despite the figure's death grip on his blade, Adam was able to sidestep Yang's attack with ease, clubbing her a few times with Blush, before spinning it around, pointing the barrel at her chest, and firing, sending her flying back across the room. Without much struggle, Adam pulled his blade free of the figure's grasp, and in one motion, cleaved it in two. Next to her, Farran let out a gasp of pain, clutching at his chest as if he were the one who had been hit by Adam's attack as he collapsed on the ground. With no one left to help her, Ruby summoned her Persona, and both jumped into the fray, attacking Adam in tandem, but it soon became clear that they were outmatched, even with the numbers advantage. He toyed with them for a moment, then with a sneer, he ran Ruby's Persona through with his sword, and while she reeled from the pain, he smashed Blush across her face.

"Stop this, please!" Blake finally managed to force herself back to her feet. She dashed forward, putting herself between Adam and her downed teammates, "Please!"

"Get out of my way, Blake." He glowered down at her. When Blake didn't budge, he shoved her to the ground, "I said move!"

"Adam, please! I'll do anything!" She pleaded as he simply moved past her, murderous intent on his face, "Just… Just please let them go…"

Adam simply turned back to her with a sneer, "I'm sorry, my love. But you have no one but yourself to blame for all of this."

Blake watched as Adam stepped over to Yang, his grip tight on his blade. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out the whole scene, knowing there was nothing she could do. No matter what she tried in the past, she couldn't stop Adam then, and she knew she couldn't now. Her teammates, her friends, were going to be killed right in front of her, and it was all because she ran away again.

"He's right…" Tears began to stream down her face, "This… All of this is my fault…"

"Blake…"

A soft, soothing voice spoke to her. It was then that she realized that all sound around her, from Adam's boots tapping across the stone floor to her teammates struggling to stand, had ceased. She opened her eyes to see that time had stopped around her, Adam frozen mid-stride on his way to her teammates. She turned towards where the voice had come from, only to see that the one thing that hadn't been frozen in time was the last person she wanted to see. Her Shadow, or the thing that claimed it was her Shadow at least, stood over her, looking down at her. However, the manic grin she once had was now replaced with a deep, concerned frown.

"What? What do you want?" Blake hissed, "I don't want to hear any more of your-"

She was cut off by a warm, soft pressure on her chest, as her Shadow sped over to her, and pulled her into a tight hug, "Shh… Please Blake, just be quiet a moment, and calm down. I know how you feel right now, but there's still time for us to save your friends."

"Wha… Save them?!" Blake tried to struggle out of her grip, "But I can't… There's nothing I can do to stop Adam, he's-"

"I know, Blake." Her distorted voice was much more firm this time, "I know you think you can't beat him. Believe me, I do. But you can. All you need to do is accept that I'm a part of you."

"Accept you?!" Blake forced her shadow off her, "How can I accept you? How can I accept any of this?! I'm not… I didn't want any of this!"

You can say that all you want, but you're wrong. All of this really is a part of you." Her shadow paused, "But even so, just because this is a part of you, that doesn't mean you can take everything here at face value."

"…What do you mean by that?" Blake murmured.

"Think about it. For all your life, you hated humans. You know that much is true. You were born into the White Fang, and saw first hand the some of the atrocities humans put the Faunus through. But even so, you hated humanity only as much as those who were around you in the White Fang. The ones who left when Sienna Khan took over. And honestly, when you first met Weiss, knowing she was from the Schnee family, and seeing how haughty she acted, you hated her too. But this, all of this!" Blake's Shadow gestured around her, "Humans locked in cramped cages and tortured… Faunus who stood against the White Fang locked up as well… Even wanting to kill an innocent girl, just because her father exploits the Faunus. You once thought like that, too. But you didn't start thinking that way on your own, did you? Something forced you to think that way."

Blake grabbed at the sides of her head, "I… I don't remember…"

"You do remember, but it's painful, so you don't want to. I know it's hard Blake, but you can't run from this forever." Shadow Blake frowned, "Adam. He made you think like that, didn't he?"

"Wha-What are you-"

"After you ran away from home with him, to continue working with the White Fang, you were stuck on another continent, and the only people you knew were Adam and the people in your squad. That was when he started to become more vicious, wasn't it? He became more and more violent on missions, and started attacking any humans he could get his hands on. He tried to get you to do it too, and when you tried to resist, he… He hurt you, didn't he? Until you did what he told you, and started thinking how he thought, he would hurt you, because back then, you were much smaller, much weaker, and much less skilled in combat than he was."

"How do you know-" Blake shook her head, tears forming at the memory, "No… You're right… After a while, I didn't even question him anymore. I just did whatever I was told."

"But then, you left." Shadow Blake gave her a kind smile, "You finally had enough of the senseless violence he was causing, and you left."

"Not for a long time, though…" Blake grumbled, "I still did everything he said for years. Everything I did, all those people I hurt…"

"But it's not like you had a choice. You were all alone on a whole different continent! You didn't really have anywhere to go, and even if you did, once you started doing what Adam told you, he drilled it into your head that you were a criminal, and nobody, not even your family, would take you in. He manipulated you Blake, you can't really blame yourself for that…" She sighed, "But that's what you've been doing since that day, hasn't it? And that's what this place represents. You've locked yourself in a self-hatred, blaming yourself for crimes that were forced on you by Adam. Too afraid to go home or to make new friends… Protecting yourself from everyone else, and protecting everyone around you from your past. But tell me, Blake… Do these friends of yours look like the type who would let you keep running from your past? Or do they look like people who would stand by you while you faced it, even if it would get them hurt?" She gestured to their frozen forms. Ruby, Farran, and Yang still had looks of complete determination on their faces, despite the impossible odds, "Honestly, they look to me like they'd be more hurt by you pushing them away."

"That, or just push harder to get close to me, no matter what." Blake choked out a short laugh, but then paused, "Look, I get what you're trying to say, but even still, I'm not completely innocent."

Shadow Blake shrugged, "Innocent, no. But you're hardly the criminal you think you are, either. And I can guarantee you, they'd all say the same. So what do you say? Will you keep running? Or will you accept me?"

Blake took a moment to wipe away her tears, then gave her Shadow a determined look, "No, I'm done. I'm sorry for rejecting you for so long. Gods know, for as bad as its been for me, it must have been worse for you. But that ends today. You are me."

As soon as the words left Blake's mouth, a burning pain rushed through her head again. Her hands rushed up to her temples as she doubled over, kneeling on the ground. Just then, a booming voice filled her mind. _My, my… How you have forced yourself to suffer, my poor girl. But no longer. I have heeded your resolve, and you are truly ready for my power. But before I can grant it to you, we must forge a contract. I am thou… Thou art I… Do not sit back and let others craft your image. Instead, take control of your own destiny, and bring forth the prosperity of your people, with your own hands!_

* * *

Farran laid there, face down on the stone floor. All of his muscles burned, and it felt as if some great weight had been pressed down on top of him, making it impossible to move. Summoning Minotaur after all the damage he'd taken in the fight with Blake's Shadow was reckless, and he'd completely overexerted himself, but he didn't have a choice. His body had reacted on its own, instinctively trying to protect Yang, and Minotaur was the only one of his Personas strong enough. Not that it did much good, considering cognitive Adam had been able to take Yang out anyways, and still managed to destroy Minotaur with only one slice. Even now, laying there on the floor, he knew he had to do something. All of his teammates were down, and from his limited view, Blake seemed to still be suffering from rejecting her Shadow earlier. If he didn't do something, they were all going to die. He strained every muscle in his body, trying to get his hand over to Silverbreak, but the second a finger managed to touch the hilt, the cognitive version of Adam kicked the blade away from him.

The living doll turned back to Blake with a sick smirk, "But I am not completely cruel, my love. If these humans really mean so much to you… I'll let you decide the order I kill them in. That way, you can spend a little more time with the ones that matter most to you." He let out a devilish laugh, "But I'd choose quickly if I were you, otherwise I'll just kill them as I please."

"Stop." Blake's voice rang out, calm but forceful, accentuated by what sounded like the crackling of thunder, "Don't you dare touch them."

"What did you say?" Adam turned on his heel and stormed back towards her, "Blake, you know damn well what happens when you talk to me like that."

"Tell me something, Adam. Who exactly is the real you? Is it the one who would willingly slaughter an entire train full of innocent workers?" Blake slowly stood up, staring him defiantly in the eye, "Or is it the boy who ran to Menagerie, scared half to death because he'd accidentally killed the sweatshop owner who'd been abusing him?"

"Are you seriously going to stand there and lecture me about who the real me is?" He snarled, "You, who has been running from your true self for years!"

"I'm. Not. Running." As she spoke, the ground began to shake, punctuating each word. Much to Farran's surprise, a set of ethereal manacles appeared around her wrists.  _Does that mean she's_ … "Not anymore. I know exactly who I am… And none of this is me!"

Blake snapped apart the chains around her wrist, flooding the room with a flurry of wind. Overhead, wisps of storm clouds began to form and converge, blocking off the ceiling, letting off low rumbles of thunder. A scintillating blue light erupted in front of her, burning bright for a few seconds, before fading away to reveal the beast that Blake's Shadow had transformed into, its tail fully intact.

The cognitive version of Adam cackled, "Do you see now, my love? You can't dent the truth, no matter how far you run, or where you try to hide! And the truth is that hideous, disgusting, foul beast is YOU!"

"WRONG!" Blake balled up her fists, "For so long, I believed that this was the truth… That this was the real me, and I needed to hide who I was. I had to hide that I was a Faunus, hide that I was in the White Fang… No matter what, I had to hide everything. And I believed all of that because of you, Adam. You manipulated me, made me think I was some sort of monster, just because I followed you when I had no other choice! All this time, that's what I was running from. My memories of you, my fear that I would lose everything I worked so hard to gain after I left, I let them control everything, from where I went to who I allowed myself to get close to. But I'm done running. I'm not going to let you control who I am anymore!" Blake shivered slightly, as electricity began to crackle around her, "Come forth, Hatshepsut!"

Adam stared dumbly as Blake's Persona began to rise in the air above them, shining with a bright golden light which completely enveloped its form. It began to shrink, its gargantuan body slimming down to the size of a normal, if a bit tall, human, as its more monstrous features began to fade away. After a moment, the light dimmed, as the figure lowered back to the ground, its true form revealed. Blake's Persona took the form of a woman in a shimmering dress that looked as if it were somehow made of onyx, her head adorned with a gold and black headdress and fake beard. In her left hand, she held a small golden crook, while her right held a black ankh. The only sign that this stunning figure and the beast that had appeared before were one and the same, were a pair of black cat ears that poked up from the woman's headdress, and a tail that curled up her back.

"Tell me." Blake took a dangerous step forward, "When I was in the White Fang, you always used to talk about all the things that humanity took from us. But what about you, Adam? What about all the things you took from me? I trusted you, Adam. I loved you. And yet you did nothing but take from me. You took my happiness… my innocence… my self respect… my pride… You robbed me of everything! And now… I'M GOING TO TAKE BACK EVERYTHING YOU STOLE!"

Lightning crashed down around them, carving out deep holes in the floor and walls, and filling the room with the ear-piercing sounds of thunder. Hatshepsut looked down at Adam mercilessly, as she raised the ankh in her hand heavenwards. For the first time since the cognitive figure appeared, Farran saw a look of true fear upon his face, as a bolt of lightning thicker than his entire body crashed down on him. Whether or not the living doll let out a scream, Farran did not know, as the lightning brought about a clash of thunder so loud, he had to cover his ears, lest he let his ear drums pop. It took a minute for his eyes to adjust after the intense brightness of the lightning strike, but by the time he could see again, the cognitive version of Adam Taurus was no more, reduced to nothing but a pile of ash.

A thousand emotions flitted across Blake's face, tears streaming from her eyes despite her lips curling slightly into a shocked, but relieved, smile as she collapsed down to her knees, staring at the ashes. Viola came over to Farran's side, gingerly helping him back to his feet. Somewhere behind them, Farran could hear Ruby groaning, as she pushed every last bit of energy she had left into summoning Lupa to heal everyone. A golden blur shot past Farran before he could take a single step, as the freshly healed Yang zipped over to Blake, pulling her partner in a tight hug. For a second, Blake looked stunned by the contact, but nevertheless, she pulled the blonde in even tighter.

"I'm sorry…" She sniffled, "I'm so sorry! I-I should've…"

"Shh… It's ok Blakey, it's ok…" Yang cut her off, lightly stroking her back, "We're all ok. You don't have to worry now."

Beneath them, the whole Palace began to shake, as if it were in the middle of an immense earthquake. Cracks began to form throughout the walls and floors, and dust and debris began to rain down around them.

"I think you should save saying that for later, Yang… We gotta get out of here, or none of us are gonna be ok." Farran picked Weiss up off the bed of rose petals, carrying her bridal style.

"But how are we gonna make it all the way down before this place caves in on us?" Ruby bent over, letting out another groan, "I dunno if I can run anymore…"

"I think we'll be alright." Viola's voice stayed calm as she tried to get them moving, "If I'm right, there should be another way down…"

Instead of heading back the way they came, Viola led them forward, towards the door Adam had come through. Farran wasn't sure what to expect on the other side. Whether they'd end up in some cognitive version of Menagerie, or even some kind of villainous lair, given it was supposed to be where Adam had been staying as the Warden. They pulled the towering doors open, only to find that on the other side was a near perfect replica of their dorm room. Everything looked to be in the right place, from their desks, to the beds, and even the books that served to support Yang and Blake's bunk were in the correct order. The only difference they could find was a brightly glowing white glyph, the same as the one they found in Shadow Richards's tower. The group sped to get on it, feeling the floor fall away, as the glyph transported them all the way back to the entrance of the Palace. Viola quickly thumbed the button on the Metaverse app, and within seconds, the six of them were swallowed by the burst of light.

* * *

"So… You're sure Weiss is gonna be ok?"

It didn't take long for the members of Team RWBY to occupy the closest bit of comfortable furniture they could find once they bailed out of the storage closet in the real world. After Farran laid Weiss down on her bed, Viola busied herself with making sure she wasn't suffering any ill effects from her time in the Metaverse, while the rest sat around watching her work, Farran from his futon, Blake and Yang on Blake's bed, and Ruby, who couldn't pull herself up to her bunk on her own in her state, resigned herself to using the closest chair she could find, while using another as a footrest. When Viola was finally satisfied, she turned back to Yang and nodded.

"Weiss is going to be just fine. She just needs some rest after today. Spending seven hours in the Metaverse and being involved in Blake's Shadow's transformation… Poor thing must be exhausted." She muttered.

"She isn't the only one!" Ruby flopped over in her seat, "Farran, you gotta find a Persona that can heal, so I'm not stuck doing it all myself…"

"I warned you not to push yourself, Rubes." Yang raised an eyebrow at her sister.

"I know, but we had to get Weiss and Blake out of there! That's what was most important. Not that it helps any now, though…" Ruby whined, "Yang, you're gonna have to help me up to my bed tonight…"

"Yeah, yeah… Whatever you say, sis." She turned and elbowed Blake in the ribs, "How about you, Blake? Are you ok now? You got a bit emotional back in your Palace. Everything alright?"

"Oh, yes. Sorry… about that…" Blake let out a bashful laugh, "I just went through a lot. Between finally standing up to Adam, and having all that power coursing through me, and well… everything really, I just got pretty overwhelmed. I didn't even realize I was crying until you got to me, Yang."

"So, you're sure that guy was another cognitive being, right Viola?" Farran sat up, expectantly, "Not his Shadow?"

Viola nodded, "I can say for certain that's the case, yes. For one, had it been a Shadow, it wouldn't have been destroyed when Blake attacked it. Instead, it would have remained in a much more vulnerable state, like the Palace rulers you've all encountered to this point. Second, it behaved exactly like a cognitive figure should. When you all attacked it, Blake believed its real life counterpart to be untouchable, and so none of you would have been able to hurt it, even at full strength. However, once she was finally able to stand up for herself, she changed her own cognition of him, which was how she was able to beat it so easily."

"Huh… That's weird…" Yang prodded Blake in the ribs with her elbow, "You really think your boyfriend's that strong, Kitty Cat? I mean, he did look tough, but I wouldn't ever really think of him as invincible or anything."

"Ex-boyfriend." She corrected, rolling her eyes at Yang's persistent nickname, "On my last mission with him, when I cut the connection between the train cars, that was my way of cutting all ties with him as well. As for why, well… It's a long story."

"So what? We have time! I mean, uh…" Ruby twiddled her thumbs, "If you're ok telling us. It's alright if you're not."

"No, it's ok. It's about time I got it all off my chest anyways. I can't keep running from it." Blake closed her eyes, smiling sadly, "…I've known Adam for a long, long time. Adam first came to Menagerie back when my dad was still the High Leader of the White Fang. Apparently, he was running for his life because he had accidentally killed the owner of a workhouse that had been abusing him and the other Faunus laborers. At least, that's what he told us then. I believed it for the longest time, because he looked dead inside for weeks, but I'd learn a long time later just how easily he could manipulate people. After a while, my dad took him under his wing in the White Fang, and he quickly started rising the ranks. That's when the 'real' Adam started showing his face, getting into brawls with humans at rallies, even putting them in the hospital. My dad would always try to keep a close eye on him, but there was only so much he could do. Of course, I didn't know any of this until later, after I started dating him."

"Which was?" Yang couldn't hide the interest in her voice.

"It wasn't too long after Sienna Khan took over when we started. Honestly, it was one of the deciding factors in me staying with the White Fang. When dad and I had our big fight over me leaving, I think our relationship was what really set him off. Had I just been staying in the White Fang, that would have been one thing, but when he heard I was planning on running off with Adam… Dad was furious. He tried telling me all of the horrible things he did, but stupid me wouldn't believe him, and instead just thought he was angry and jealous about Sienna taking his job, so he was taking it out on Adam for following her. I should have listened to him. After that, when all the red flags started showing up for me, it was too late."

"…What do you mean by that, Blake?" Farran frowned, taken aback.

"The two of us ended up taking a boat to Sanus with a bunch of other White Fang members. So, essentially it was me, a stupid teenage girl all on her own, with a bunch of adults I barely knew and Adam, who pretty much turned into a whole different person. So pretty much, I was all alone in a group of strangers on an entirely different continent." She grimaced, "Which made the idea of leaving once Adam started killing humans so much harder. I didn't think I could just go home, I had nowhere else to go, and even if I did… Adam was adamant that I do exactly what he said, and thought exactly how he told me to think, and he made it crystal clear what would happen if I didn't. So it seemed like leaving wasn't an option for the longest time."

"Wait, Blake… You're not saying…" Ruby gaped, "He didn't…?"

When Blake only answered with a sad smile, Yang leapt up off the bed, "That son of a bitch! That worthless… I'll kill that asshole! I'll kill him!"

"Yang, calm down. I can understand you being angry, but there's no point to it. Even if you could beat Adam, I haven't seen him in over a year, now. I have no idea where in the world he is by now. Those White Fang members from the docks weren't from his group, at least when I was still a part of it, so I can't imagine he's anywhere around here right now, at least. Besides, I'm not going to let what he did to me affect me anymore. Because of how he treated me, and manipulated me, I believed that there was nowhere left for me to go. That I was just a criminal on the run… But I'm done running. I'm not going to let Adam, or my memories of him, control who I am, or what I do, anymore." Blake leaned back a bit, smiling.

"You're… taking this surprisingly well." Farran tilted his head

"I don't really know how to explain it, honestly. It's weird… After talking to my Shadow, and awakening to my Persona, I feel so much better. Like, I know I'm not completely better. There's still things I know I have to work out on my own. But that's the thing, for the first time, I feel like I can fix it. It doesn't seem like some completely impossible task. So, in a way, you could almost say that facing my other self was a… get out of jail free card." Blake waggled her eyebrows at Yang.

Yang plopped down next to her amidst a sea of groans from their teammates, "Leave the puns to me, Kitten. They really don't suit you."

"Well, I thought it was funny…" She grumbled.

"While we're on the subject of relationships…" Yang's gaze turned to Weiss, "So… You and the Ice Queen, huh? Honestly never saw that one coming."

Blake's ears flattened against her head, "Yeah…"

"Alright, that wasn't the answer I was expecting."

"I just…" She looked away, "I don't know…"

"You mean, you don't love Weiss?" Ruby gave her a worried look.

"That's the thing… I honestly don't know how I feel." Blake bit her lips, fumbling for the right words, "It's like my Shadow said before, ever since the White Fang, since Adam, I've built up walls around my heart. I never really thought about dating since then, much less… any of you…"

"Well, you said you feel differently after getting your Persona, right?" Farran offered, "Maybe now that you can think clearly without all that other stuff weighing on you so much, you can talk it out and get some better idea of what you're working with?"

"I suppose it's worth a try…" She leaned back and closed her eyes, "It's weird, really. I can't deny what my Shadow said about her. I actually felt relieved when she first said it. Maybe I really do love Weiss… But even saying that now, something feels weird? Like, I was happy to finally get that off my chest, but there was something more to it."

"A good something?" Yang asked, "Or a bad something?"

"I don't… Bad, I guess? Yeah, a bad something. Definitely bad…" She sighed, "Even though I was happy, at the same time, it hurt too. Not even like I was embarrassed about her saying it, more like… More like by her saying I loved Weiss, it permanently closed a door for me that I didn't want closed, or at least wasn't ready for it yet. Does that make sense?"

"Kind of like… Now that you have some kind of feelings for Weiss, there's something that you wanted, but now you can't have?"

Blake's ears perked up, "Yes! That's exactly it!"

"So… Maybe it's cause of Adam." Ruby hummed, "Your Shadow was telling you to go back to him. It could be that, deep down, your still love him. But now that you have us, and especially Weiss, you decided not to ever go back to him."

"No… I know that isn't it. With Adam, I had already accepted the fact that I wouldn't be going back to him from the day I first left. And even if that was it, I wouldn't still be thinking like that now. I can honestly say I want nothing to do with him. It's something else, but…" She shrugged and shook her head, "I don't know. I'm just going to have to think about it some more. At least I have somewhere to start from now… Thanks guys."

"Of course, Blake. Any time." Yang gave her a playful bump, "That's what we're here for, remember?"

"Well, unfortunately, I think it's time for me to be off." Viola muttered, looking at the clock on Farran's scroll. She set it on a nearby desk, then waved her hand, summoning the door to the Velvet Room, "My Master will be expecting a report about today's events, and I believe he will be elated at your victory, my dear guest. You all have plenty to be proud of, after taking down another Palace." She turned to Blake with a smile, "Especially you, Blake. Despite it being your own Palace, you managed to overcome your fears and accept your hidden self. Accepting your Shadow is no easy feat, as I'm sure your teammates will tell you, but to do so within your own Palace is extraordinary. I look forward to working with you in the future." She pushed open the door, giving the group one last wave, "I hope you all rest well tonight. After today's adventures, you've more than earned it. I hope to see you all again soon!"

They all bid her goodbye as she disappeared into the blue void. When the door finally faded away, Blake got up off her bed, stretching her back, "On that note, I better get going too. Gotta find somewhere to stay before it's too late."

"Wha- Wait, what?" Yang leapt to her feet, "Are you kidding me?! You're going to up and leave again?!"

"Nuh-uh! No, no, no, no, no." Farran stepped in front of the door, blocking it, "We did not go through all that shit just for you to go running off again."

"Blake, I thought you said you were better now! Don't tell me we have to go beat your stupid Shadow again." Ruby puffed out her cheeks.

"What are you all- Oh! No, that's not what I meant. I really am fine now. It's just…" She gave Weiss a sad look, "I can't blame her for how she feels about the White Fang. Not after everything they've done to her family. Now that she knows I used to be one of them, it'd just be a completely unnecessary distraction for her. Not to mention what happened with her Shadow… She probably wants nothing to do with me right now. I'm just going to stay at the café for a while, even if I have to commute to classes until everything calms down with all this, and if it never does, well… We'll go from there, I guess. But until then, I can't force her to be near me, so it'd be better if I-"

"Stop." Blake had turned to leave, but froze in her tracks when an annoyed voice called out from behind the group. They turned around to see Weiss, now awake and sitting upright on her bed, glaring daggers at Blake, "Don't you dare take another step, Blake Belladonna."

"Weiss!"

Farran, Yang, and Ruby sped across the room in unison, assaulting the silver-haired girl's ears with a barrage of questions, making sure their friend was ok. It took her a moment to wave them all off, quieting their relentless worrying with assurances that she was most certainly fine. With the gap between them once again cleared, her gaze returned to her Faunus teammate, her glare unwavering.

"Weiss, I…" She lowered her head, her cat ears drooping, "I'm sorry… Everything that happened today, everything you had to go through in that other world… It's all my fault. You almost died because of me… I'm sorry…"

"And that is exactly why you are not to move another muscle until I have said my peace." Weiss folded her arms, "Understood?"

"I… O-Ok. I understand."

"Honestly…" She pinched the bridge of her nose, "Do you have any idea just how long we were all looking for you today? Eight hours. We spent eight hours searching every nook and cranny of this city, looking for you. And that's not even including how long the three of them spent yesterday." She got up out of her bed, striding right up until she was face to face with Blake, "On top of that, I just spent seven hours trapped in another world, being threatened by a part of you. That makes fifteen hours of my life, directly affected by you running away, which gave me plenty of time to think about this. And in those fifteen hours, I decided…" Weiss took a long pause, causing Farran, Yang, and Ruby to exchange worried looks, "I don't care."

Blake blinked at Weiss in surprise, "You don't care?"

"You said you're not one of them anymore, right?"

"No, I-I haven't been since I was younger-" Blake stammered.

"Ah-bah-bah-bah-bah! I don't want to hear it. First, you're no longer a part of that group. Second, while you were a member, you were forced to go through some… awful things whenever you tried to resist."

"Wait… How do you know that?" Yang gave her an amused look.

"I… may have been awake long enough to overhear your conversation…" Weiss's mumbled, color quickly rising in her face, "Anyways, how I know is beside the point. What matters is that I can hardly hold your past, or any of this really, against you. All I want to know is that the next time something this big comes up... you'll come to your teammates. And not some..." She cleared her throat, catching herself, "Someone else. And don't just keep it pent up inside of you, either."

Blake looked at her teammates, who each gave her supportive grins. She wiped away a tear that had been forming in her eye, "Of course."

After a beat, Ruby waved her arms frantically, "Yeah! Team RWBY is back together!"

The room filled with an air of happiness as the members of Team RWBY crowded around each other, relieved to have things finally back to normal, their friends all safe and accounted for. However, this feeling would be incredibly short lived. Farran opened his mouth to join in the celebration, but before he could say anything, the fatigue that had been building up after spending most of the day searching through Vale, two trips through the Metaverse, and the repeated beatings he had taken finally set in. It took a significant amount of effort for him not to pass out right where he stood, and from the look on his teammates' faces, it seemed like he wasn't the only one.

"Alright, I don't know about you guys…" He backed over to his bag, pulling out a change of clothes to sleep in, "But I'm running on empty. Maybe we can save the celebrating and all that for tomorrow, yeah?"

"Yes, I think that would be best. After all, any fatigue caused by that other world isn't an acceptable excuse for missing class. Unless, of course, you all intend to fill in Professor Goodwitch." Weiss moved over to her dresser, rummaging through her drawers, "Not to mention, I expect us to have a serious discussion soon about what that world's existence means for all of us as a team moving forward."

"Yeah, yeah… We know. Now's not the best time for a lecture, Ice Queen…" Yang grumbled.

"O-Oh, and Weiss…" Blake spoke up, "About what my Shadow said… about us…"

Everyone froze in their tracks. Weiss nearly dropped the nightie she had pulled from her dresser, fumbling with it as she nervously turned to face Blake, "Y-Yes?"

"I don't know how you feel about what she said. I don't even know how I feel, really. I need… I need some time to think about everything, so I can fully understand my feelings. And I was hoping, once I do understand how I feel, maybe…" She gulped, "Maybe you and I can talk about it? Even if you aren't interested… Just to get everything out in the open, you know?"

Weiss gave her a sweet smile, "I think that is a very prudent decision, Blake. There's no sense in rushing into anything until you're entirely sure how you feel, especially after everything we've been through today. And of course we can. I did say that I don't want you keeping anything pent up, remember?"

"Thank you, Weiss…" Blake nearly started tearing up again, "Thank you."

Satisfied that his teammates were placated, at least for the moment, Farran took his change of clothes into the bathroom to get ready for bed. A little bit later, Yang came to the door, giving him the all-clear that they were all decent, and allowing him to finally stumble back to his futon and collapse on top of it while the girls went about the rest of their usual nightly routine. Within minutes, the exhaustion that had built up throughout the day, and the relief of having his teammates all back safe overcame him, as he finally succumbed to the heavy veil of sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!
> 
> It's done! It's finally, finally freaking done! Sorry this one took so long. A lot's been going on, and the fight scene took WAAAAY longer than I would have liked. But, we're back in the swing of things now!
> 
> Hatshepsut – The fifth pharaoh of the Eighteenth Dynasty of Egypt, and the second confirmed female pharaoh. Hatshepsut has been considered one of the most successful pharaohs of ancient Egypt, reigning for 20 years, and beyond that, her reign was one of peace (something I think Blake would really connect with). She re-established international trade that had been lost before her time, and commissioned a number of building projects during her time. I also felt it fit the "Beauty and the Beast" aesthetic I wanted to include. A beast turning into royalty after learning a life lesson, and all that. Plus, there's the connection between ancient Egypt and cats, and well… I had to make Blake's Persona a catgirl, didn't I? :3
> 
> That's all I got for this week. Hope you guys enjoyed, and I hope to see you in the next chapter!
> 
> Inferno :D


	21. Trust

April 28th:

Cold. The sound of rushing winds. The feeling of laying faced down on something hard.

These were the sensations that forced Farran awake, his mind jumping to the realization that he was no longer laying on his futon in Team RWBY's dorm room. He groaned as his eyes slid open, only to be greeted by a vast expanse of nothing. A pitch black void stretched out endlessly around him. Even the ground beneath him, despite having the feel of brick and mortar, had been consumed by the darkness. He might have convinced himself that he had gone blind, had it not been for Silverbreak, its blade glinting with a faint light, laying a few feet ahead of him.

"Ngh… What happened?" He pushed himself into a sitting position, "Where am I…?"

"Don't come near…" A voice, garbled and distorted to the point where it was almost incoherent, called out from the darkness, "You have no-one…"

Rage. Farran had no idea who the voice belonged to, or even where it was coming from in the void that surrounded him, but even so, he found himself being overcome with a white hot flash of anger. His body seemed to move on its own, as he launched himself forward, swiping Silverbreak as he passed, and swinging it with all his might in the direction of the voice. Despite the area in front of him appearing empty, he felt his blade make impact with something hard, and the sound of metal clashing with metal filled the air. His unseen foe managed to push him back with immense strength, nearly sending Silverbreak flying from his grasp. His body continued to move on its own accord, almost as if he were a puppet attached to strings, as he and his invisible foe traded blows, growing angrier with every slash. Suddenly, he felt a heavy weight strike him in the chest, launching him a good distance backwards, where he landed hard on his back. Silverbreak flew from his hand, glinting one last time as it fell away into the darkness in the distance.

"…your fault….." The voice began to speak again, furiously, "…Everything I ever wanted…. Everything… away….." Farran forced himself back to his feet, looking desperately for the owner of the voice, "….you gave us… your choice…"

Somewhere in the distance, the sound of a gunshot rang out, followed by a scream, just as distorted as the voice. For some reason, Farran's legs grew weak, and he fell back down to his knees, as if his strings had been cut. He could hear the sound of footsteps on pavement growing nearer to him.

"…..son…." Something grabbed Farran by the throat, lifting him high into the air, "…Tell them…. dead…."

Farran struggled to breath as his invisible foe carried him a good distance from where he landed. He struggled in vain to pry himself free, clawing away at the transparent fingers that threatened to crush his windpipe, until a bright light flashed right in front of him, and a strange red haze started to rise around his head. His hands fell uselessly to his sides, as his body hung there, limp and numb.

"…I'm sorry pal. This is just how it has to be…"

The voice spoke to him one last time, right up to his ear. Despite the overwhelming distortion that affected the voice, Farran felt almost as if he had heard it once before, although he had no idea where. The tight grip around his throat finally released him, and Farran plunged downwards into the never-ending void. He squeezed his eyes shut, preparing for the ground to rise up to meet him, and for that to be the end, and it might have done so, had he not been shaken awake at that very moment.

* * *

"Farran! Faaaaaaaarraaaaaaaaan!"

Ruby knelt next to Farran's futon, pouting as she shook him as hard as she could, trying to get him out of bed. She couldn't blame him for being tired, they all were after the day before, but it was chocolate chip pancake day at the cafeteria, and there was absolutely no way she was going to miss out because one of her teammates was being dumb, and refused to get up on time. Behind her, the usual turmoil that permeated the dorm room every morning was already in full swing. Yang, who had lost her daily game of Rock-Paper-Scissors with Weiss to decide which of the two got to shower before the other, angrily pounded her fist against the door, barking orders at their silver-haired teammate to hurry up. Blake was seated on her bed, nearly ready to go, save for her trademark ribbon, which she was expertly weaving between her cat ears, much to Ruby's chagrin. Ruby was thankful that she could normally avoid the morning rush, years of fighting her sister to get the first shower in the morning taught her to get up right when her alarm sounded. Despite the havoc, things were moving unexpectedly smooth for their usual mornings. Even with Weiss and Yang's extraordinarily long showers, they would still have plenty of time to get over to the cafeteria once Farran, who took hardly any time at all to get ready, had finished. That was all well and good, of course, but it would only work if he would…

"Just get up already, you big dummy!" Ruby growled, shaking him once more. She wished she knew where Weiss hid her whistle. That would get him up for sure, "Don't make me dump a bucket of ice water on you!"

One of his eyes finally slid open, his gaze darting towards her as he frowned, "You soak my bed, and you're the one that's gonna have to dry it."

"If I have to miss the chocolate chip pancakes, you can sleep on the floor for all I care!" She puffed out her cheeks.

"Like I don't already…" He closed his eyes, and looked for a moment as if he would drift back to sleep. That is, until Ruby yanked his pillows out from under his head. He sighed as he finally sat up, rubbing the last bit of sleep out of his eyes, "Fine, fine… I'm up. Not like it matters, cause I can't get in the bathroom."

As if on cue, Yang began banging on the bathroom door once again, "Weiss, I swear to God! You've been in there for half a damn hour, and two of us still need to get ready! If you don't get out here now, I'm gonna bust this door down and drag you out, dressed or otherwise!"

Just then, the door swung open as Weiss stepped out, fully dressed and pulling her hair up into her usual ponytail, "You don't need to shout, Yang. I can hear you just fine. And don't be ridiculous, I was not in there for half an hour. Besides, I don't know why you're all in such a rush for those pancakes anyways. They're not that good…"

"Heresy!" Ruby cried, "Lies and slander!"

"Hey Farran." Blake finally finished tying her bow, giving it one last pull, "Now that you're awake, were you having a nightmare or something?"

"A nightmare?" He leaned back, closing his eyes. After a second, he shook his head, "Eh, I dunno. I might've, but I can't remember for the life of me. Why do you ask?"

"Oh, nothing. You were just muttering in your sleep. That's all. Just wanted to make sure everything's alright." She shrugged.

"Wait, I was? Sorry, hope I wasn't too loud."

"No, you weren't. It's just, well…" She pointed up to her bow, "You'd be surprised just how well I can hear things, even if they're very soft."

"Oooh, do tell, Kitten." Yang smirked, putting a hand on her hip, "Please share all the things you hear from us at night."

"Yang, must you really be perverted this early in the morning?" Weiss huffed.

"Save your breath, Weiss." Blake just shook her head, amused, "Yang always has to be a pervert."

"Don't remind me…"

Yang glowered at her, "Hey, I resent that remark! I only act perverted when I know I can get away with it. So to answer your question Weiss, yes I do. Now get that cute li'l booty of yours out of the way, I need to shower."

"Me? You're standing in my way!" She paused, color rising in her cheeks as she realized what Yang had just said, "And would you please stop making your lecherous comments about my rear end, you recalcitrant degenerate?!"

From their spot on the opposite side of the room, Ruby could only snicker as she watched her teammates antics. Next to her, Farran shook his head, amused, "Well, looks like they're already back to being their typical loud, chaotic selves."

"Yeah." She nodded, beaming, "Just how it should be."

* * *

General Ironwood had never been the type to care about extreme weather. Training for the Atlesian Military took place deep in the heart of Atlas's frozen tundra, after all. He'd trained in some of the worst weather the continent of Solitas had to offer for most of his life, and that experience had numbed him to all but the bitterest of cold. Still, if someone asked him whether he'd prefer to deal with the snowstorm that had hit the kingdom of Atlas just after they'd left over the comfortable, temperate climate of Vale? Well, he hadn't exactly gone mad quite yet. A pleasant burst of spring air rushed past him as the landing ramp of his ship extended for him to depart. Had he not been flanked by his men on both sides, he might have considered dropping his usual stoic, professional demeanor at the welcome breeze, or at the very least cracked a smile. As things stood, however, frivolities like enjoying the weather would have to wait, at least until he was with his colleagues.

The ramp played out a steady beat as the General and his soldiers marched down its length, onto the airstrip of Beacon Academy. Overhead, a squadron of bullheads soared towards Vale proper, looking to land on the base that had been prepared for their stay throughout the Vytal Festival and await further orders. Their trek through the campus greens and up to Academy brought them past many students, gawking with wide eyes. Ironwood couldn't help but chuckle inwardly at their behavior. It was certainly understandable, the Headmasters rarely visited the other Academies, even for the Vytal festival. It was the same way back when he had attended, so to be on the receiving end of the awestruck stares was more than a little amusing.

His men accompanied him until they reached the CCT tower, where they branched off and took their places on either side of the entrance. Ironwood proceeded inside, stepping aboard the elevator that would take him all the way to the top of the tower, onto the landing outside Professor Ozpin's office. He pressed the buzzer, waiting for a familiar voice to give him permission before entering. The steel doors slid open, allowing him into the office, where Ozpin and Glynda Goodwitch stood by the window, waiting for him.

"Ozpin!" Ironwood finally let a smile crack through his stoicism at the sight of his old friend.

Ozpin stepped to the center of the room, folding his hands behind his back, "Hello, General."

"Please, drop the formalities. It's been too long." Ironwood offered his hand, which Ozpin grasped for a firm shake. He turned to give a warm smile to Goodwitch as she approached the two, "And Glynda! It has certainly been too long since we last met."

"Oh, James!" She gave him a personable wave, only for her face to fall to a look of pure annoyance, "I'll be outside…"

She walked towards the door, but Ozpin called after her, "One moment, Glynda. If you wouldn't mind, would you please round up the members of Team RWBY and bring them here? I wish to speak with them about the events from last night, once James and I are finished."

Goodwitch grumbled some sort of acknowledgement, and swiftly left the room. Ironwood couldn't help but stare after her, bemused, "Well, she hasn't changed a bit." He turned back to Ozpin, "So, Team RWBY… That's the group you put your special pet project in, isn't it? Were they involved in that mess with the SDC shipment last night?"

"They were. However, I would hardly consider Mister Park a pet project, James." Ozpin moved to his desk and filled a mug up with coffee, "His position here is mutually beneficial. Yes, he serves as an important piece of insurance for us, but more importantly, he is a student, just like any other." He handed the mug over to the General, "Speaking of projects, it appears you have brought quite a bit of your work with you. I don't suppose you'll need all those men to deal with Richards, will you?"

"Hardly…" Ironwood reached inside his jacket for his flask, topping the coffee off with its contents, "Ozpin, you and I both know these men are necessary. With everything that's happened over the past two years-"

"Which most people believe to be unconnected." Ozpin took a seat behind his desk, pouring himself a mug of coffee, "At least, outside of the events which have been claimed by the White Fang. The few that do see these occurrences as connected have been generally written off as superstitious or paranoid."

"But they are connected, Oz.." Ironwood frowned.

Ozpin raised an eyebrow, "Is that what your teenage detective told you?"

"Ozpin, please." Ironwood pinched the bridge of his nose, "As a friend and colleague, please do not bring up those rumors. With the amount of times I've had to address such an asinine internet rumor, it's a miracle I haven't started drinking as much as Qrow."

"Heaven forbid." Ironwood did not miss Ozpin's sly glance towards the General's coffee mug.

"Look, all I'm trying to say is that we have to be careful. Vale is on the world's stage right now, and everyone is watching. The last thing we need is another incident like what happened to the Councilman, or worse. If what Qrow said is true-"

"If what Qrow said is true, then we will handle it tactfully." Ozpin cut him off, "You are correct. All eyes are on Vale right now, but they're on the Vytal Festival. The coming months are meant to celebrate peace between the Kingdoms. Shows of power like this at such a delicate time are just going to give off the wrong impression. So I suggest that you not scare people by transporting hundreds of soldiers halfway across the continent."

"I'm just being cautious…"

"As am I." Ozpin took a sip of coffee, "Tell me, have you heard any more from this informant of yours? And I promise, no more barbs about silly internet rumors."

"No, I haven't." Ironwood sighed, "Not since December. And that's why I'm being so cautious. They're the only reason we know about this, Oz. Without my informant, we don't have the slightest idea of what they're planning, or why. We need to be ready at a moment's notice. And Gods forbid they started working with her."

"It's possible, however I believe if they were working together, she likely would have reigned them in by now. She always did have an annoying habit of working in the shadows…" Ozpin shook his head, clearly vexed, "But because your informant has seemingly gone dark, that makes Mister Park all the more important to us."

"You still think he's connected?"

"I do. His incident is so similar to those of their past victims, and yet here he is. Not just surviving on his own, but thriving as a potential Huntsman." A small screen popped up on Ozpin's desk with a soft beeping sound, "That must be Glynda, now. Would you care to speak with Mister Park, James? I assure you, I find him to be quite a pleasant young man."

"Are you sure that isn't just because he helped you with the Richards problem, somehow?" Ironwood raised an eyebrow.

"I will admit, it did help. Granted, I already thought as much to begin with." He gave Ironwood a coy smile.

"I'm afraid I'll have to pass for now. Unfortunately, I have another appointment scheduled with Richards right after this. However, there's one thing I want to know. You've said in your messages that this Park has been doing well in his classes, as if he were recalling things he learned before. What about the other amnesia victims? Have they had any improvements?"

"I'm afraid not…" For a moment, Ozpin looked grim, "They're all under expert care, and constant monitoring, but as far as I know, none of them have yet to make a sound. I will, of course, keep you informed if there are any changes with them… or with her."

"Thank you, Ozpin." Ironwood turned to leave.

"Oh, just one more thing before you go, James." Ozpin called, stopping him, "I'm sure you don't need me to remind you, but please do not let your men get involved in the proceedings of the upcoming election. The last thing we need is for the citizens of Vale to think that the military of another Kingdom is attempting to influence their votes, regardless of which candidate."

"Of course, Oz." Ironwood pulled out his scroll, gesturing with it, "I've already been in contact with the Vale Police Department. We'll be working with them to organize patrols, both to make sure my men are far from any organized rallies, and to allow them to have more of their forces there in case anything gets out of control. Not to mention, my men are under orders not to leave the base under any circumstances on election day. I promise you, we're taking utmost care with this."

"Thank you, General."

* * *

On any other day, the landing outside Professor Ozpin's office would be completely empty. Students rarely ever needed to ascend to the top of the tower to visit the Headmaster, since Goodwitch and, until recently, Agni Richards would handle disciplinary measures if needed, which meant it was generally ill-equipped for numerous student visitors. On this day, however, a line of otherwise nondescript folding chairs had been prepared for the members of Team RWBY, lined up out of the way. Goodwitch's glare was all it took for them to take their places, silently waiting for Ozpin to give them permission to enter. After a moment, a man with greying hair, dressed in a military uniform, strode out of Ozpin's office, giving Goodwitch a curt nod as he passed towards the elevator. From over to his right, Farran noticed Weiss open her mouth to call after him, but before she could do so, the elevator doors closed behind him. As the elevator began to descend, Goodwitch turned back to them.

"Alright. Professor Ozpin wishes to meet with the five of you individually about what happened last night." Her gaze moved to Farran, "You're up first, Mister Park."

"Wait, why me? I-" The return of Goodwitch's glare promptly shut him up, "I-I'm going…"

Farran stiffly rose from his seat, and rounded the corner out of her harsh gaze at full tilt. It wasn't until he was down the hallway and about to cross the threshold into Ozpin's office that he finally slowed down, hesitant to enter. He wasn't quite sure how Ozpin would react to their involvement in the fight at the docks. After all, Goodwitch had made it perfectly clear that they had overstepped their boundaries as students, and he was sure Ozpin would agree, given just how dangerous the situation had been. Still, the headmaster's reassuring smile kept him moving forward, albeit nervously, into the office.

"Good afternoon, Mister Park." Ozpin greeted warmly from behind his desk, "How are you today?"

"Afternoon, Professor. I'm f-" He tried to stifle a yawn, but failed. The fatigue he had suffered over the past few days still hung over him heavily, "Sorry. I'm doing ok, Professor. Just a bit tired after last night."

"I would believe it. Thwarting attempted robbery by a criminal organization wanted the world over is no easy feat." Ozpin took a sip of coffee before tenting his hands in front of him, "But while I can understand that you may be feeling a bit sluggish today, I was hoping the two of us would have a chance to chat."

"O-Of course, sir."

"Now, Glynda has brought me up to speed on the majority of what happened. Even so, I would like you to take me through the events of last night. I'm well aware that you were all involved in the altercation at the shipping yard, however, I have my doubts that four of my students, as well as two students from the other Academies, one of which was not permitted to be in Vale at this time, just so happened to stumble upon an operation of that scale. So, would you kindly fill me in on how you came to be at the docks last night?"

"Sure, but…" Farran rubbed the back of his neck, "It all started on Friday, to be perfectly honest."

"Friday?" Ozpin raised an eyebrow.

"Yes sir. After classes on Friday, we went down to the docks to see the students from the other Academies arrive. We went by a Dust shop down there that had robbed the night before, and we started talking about possibly looking into it on our own time. Blake wanted to investigate, Weiss didn't, things started to get a bit heated, and Blake ran off. We spent most of the weekend looking for her, which is why we were downtown when that all started. We saw smoke coming from the docks, so we went to check it out."

Farran had no desire to push the blame onto Blake, and he hated himself for doing so, but he really had no choice. During lunch, Team RWBY had sat huddled together, trying to come up with a suitable excuse to tell Ozpin, knowing they would need to keep the story straight between the five of them. Blake had been the one that originally came up with that story, and when they couldn't think of another more suitable one, she practically demanded to shoulder the blame. At the very least, it was the closest they could get to the actual events without bringing up Blake's Faunus heritage, or her involvement with the White Fang. Still, even though it was what she wanted, it almost felt as if he were betraying her by framing the whole situation to be her fault.

_"For once, I actually believed that everything would be ok, that I wouldn't have to run any more… That I finally found a place to belong. Only for that hope and the trust I put in you to be thrown back in my face. This is all your fault, Farran!"_

Farran grimaced, his stomach feeling as if it were tying itself in knots. He tried desperately to force the echoes of her voice out of his mind.  _It's fine… I can't let that get to me… Blake told me to do this. I know it sucks, but I'm not betraying her._

"Interesting. So, Miss Belladonna was not with you all…" Ozpin's voice snapped him back to reality, "However, she was with you when the Vale City Police arrived. Do you know what prompted her to go there as well?"

"Ah, well… No, not really…" He hesitated, "I think I remember Sun saying that the crew on the ship he arrived on were talking about that shipment, and that Blake was with him. Maybe they figured that's where whoever has been stealing all the dust would show up? I mean, we didn't know it was the White Fang at the time, so she probably was expecting a bunch of two-bit thugs."

"I see. You know Mister Park, there is one thing I'd like you to clarify on." Ozpin adjusted his glasses, "You said Miss Schnee and Miss Belladonna got into an argument. I know you said it was about the Dust store robberies, but I have a different theory. Tell me, were the two arguing because Miss Belladonna is really a Faunus?"

Farran stared at him, dumbstruck, "I… How… You know…?"

Ozpin just smirked, "Mister Park, I am the Headmaster of one of the four Huntsmen Academies. Part of my job is to keep tabs on current events, politics included."

He reached down below his desk and brought up a piece of paper, which he slid across the desk to Farran. The scrap was an old, faded newspaper clipping, headed by a photo of a large, lion-like, and hairy man standing behind a podium, frozen in time in the middle of an apparently passionate speech. To his right stood a beautiful Faunus woman in an exotic gown who, had it not been for a number of golden earrings hanging from her car ears, may have passed for Blake, if a bit older. To the far left, a much younger cat Faunus, her hair a total mess, stood glaring over the crowd. Below the photo, there was a caption reading "White Fang High Leader Ghira Belladonna (center) gave a speech at a Faunus rally in Vale yesterday. His wife Kali (right) and daughter Blake (left) were also in attendance."

"There is a worrying amount of humans in this world that don't give Faunus politics." Ozpin leaned forward, "But for me, a shift in power in the White Fang? A new chieftain being named in Menagerie? It is my job and my duty to know these things, Mister Park. Always."

"So, you knew?" Farran shook his head in disbelief.

"I cannot blame you or your teammates for not knowing. The name 'Belladonna' is not exactly uncommon in the world, for both humans and Faunus. You had no reason to suspect your teammate." He chuckled, "But in my case, it's different. A girl showing up to our Academy, baring such a striking resemblance to the Chieftain's wife, along with trying to pass off such an obscure past? You'll have to forgive me for scrutinizing her heritage. Not that it matters much, as I would have welcomed her to Beacon all the same, and my opinion on the matter has not changed since."

"A-Alright…" Farran let out a sigh of relief.

"Now then, with all that out of the way, is there anything else you wish to tell me about last night's events?" There was a pregnant pause, as Farran debated whether or not he wanted to talk. Ozpin watched him expectantly from his seat, "Mister Park?"

"Well, it's just…" He gulped. Maybe Ozpin could help me find him… "That guy that was leading the White Fang at the docks. Torchwick… He knew me. Who I was."

"You're saying that Roman Torchwick knew who you were before you woke up in the hospital?" Despite Ozpin's face keeping it's normal stoicism, there was a noticeable spark in his eye, "And you're absolutely certain of this?"

"Yes, sir. At least, he seemed to. He talked like he knew me, and said I had caused problems for him in the past. And he knew that someone tried to kill me." Farran tried to think back to the battle, "I guess he knew who it was as well, but he never said who it was. Just kept referring to them as 'He'…"

"I see…" Ozpin leaned back in his chair, "Well, I thank you for sharing this with me, Mister Park. I know it must be difficult to trust me with something this important after our last meeting, but I am grateful that you would confide in me still."

"Of course, sir. I was…" Farran steeled himself, "I was just hoping you would be able to help me find him. If he knows who I am, then I need to-"

"Absolutely not."

"…I'm sorry?"

"Absolutely not." Ozpin repeated, "Mister Park… Farran, I do not believe you fully comprehend what you are asking of me. Roman Torchwick, while not the head of Vale's criminal underworld as he has claimed to be in the past, is a very dangerous individual, and has been a thorn in the side of the local law enforcement for the past decade. From what I understand, you experienced just how dangerous of a man he really is firsthand, and you're lucky to have walked away unscathed. As your Headmaster, I cannot in good conscience allow a first year student, one who has yet to be cleared to begin taking missions at that, to so casually walk into their demise."

"But-"

"Farran, please." Ozpin's gaze was fierce, "I know I have no right to ask you to abandon the answers which are so clearly important to you. I will, of course, have someone I trust look into it, but I need you to promise me that you will not pursue this man. I do not wish to bury you, Farran. And I cannot see this ending any other way for you if you choose to pursue him."

"Fine…" His response was heavy and bitter, and Farran couldn't even look Ozpin in the eye as he said it, "Just… if you hear anything, let me know right away, alright?"

"Naturally. If anything relevant comes up, you will be the first to know. Now then, is there anything else you wish to tell me?" He leaned back as Farran shook his head, "Very well, you are free to go. If you would, please send Miss Rose in on your way out."

* * *

"So… tired…"

Farran stumbled over to his futon, and collapsed face first on top of it. After all the members of Team RWBY had met with Ozpin individually, Goodwitch saw it fit that she give the team one last lecture about the past day's events, and more importantly, the paperwork that she had filled and still had yet to fill due to their involvement. With their ears still ringing, the five of them plodded over to the dining hall, where they picked at their food for a while, before going their separate ways for the time being. Farran couldn't understand where exactly his teammates were getting their energy from to go about their usual daily activities, especially Yang, who had more or less dragged Blake along with her to the gym for some training. Instead, given that he felt as if he hadn't slept at all the night before, Farran chose to return to the dorm and take a nice, long nap.

He lay there, eyes squeezed shut, waiting for the sweet embrace of slumber to take him, but it never came. He rolled over onto his side. Nothing. He tossed over to his other side. Nothing. For the next while, Farran tossed and turned, trying whatever he could to fall asleep, but to no avail. Finally, he just laid there on his back, letting out a frustrated sigh as he stared at the ceiling. Of course he couldn't fall asleep. No matter what he did, Farran couldn't manage to clear his mind long enough. He didn't want to be upset at Ozpin, and no matter how hard he thought about it, he couldn't deny anything the Headmaster had said. Even so, he couldn't just sit back and do nothing. Torchwick was the one lead he had to find out about his past. If he was ever going to find out about his past, Farran was going to have to find Torchwick. Ozpin knew that, and he still forbade Farran from pursuing him for no damn reason.

'No… No, Ozpin is right. Even if I did find Torchwick somehow, it's not like I'd learn anything. He didn't just beat me last night, he absolutely kicked my ass. Hell, if it weren't for that… whoever the hell he was talking about, he probably would have outright killed me. Then what would have happened to Blake and Weiss… Or Ruby and Yang, for that matter. I hate to admit it, but I'm going to have to just wait and believe in Ozpin for now.' Despite his feelings, Farran's newfound, if somewhat resentful, sense of trust in his Headmaster caused his bond with the Judgement Arcana to strengthen. However, once he felt the familiar sensation, Farran couldn't help but frown. 'My bonds, huh…'

_"No, Farran. You haven't helped me one bit. All you managed to do was get my hopes up…"_

Farran gritted his teeth as the voice of Blake's Shadow ran through his mind once more.  _No, stop… I can't worry about that… Not right now…_  He struggled to silence his mind, but even as the release of sleep took him, the words continued to swirl around in his head, echoing just as clearly as when he first heard them. It wasn't until he opened his eyes and realized he was floating in the middle of an endless blue void that her voice finally, mercifully, ceased. He looked around, barely noticing the outline of the blue butterfly, the symbol of the Velvet Room, as it approached and made contact with him. His vision blurred for a moment, and when it returned, Farran found himself seated in his wrought iron chair in the Velvet Room. A thunderous clanging sound rang out from overhead, as the scales of Lady Justice began to shift, the half reading innocent lowering while its flame began to glow brighter, while the opposite scale reading guilty began to raise as its fire dimmed.

The sound of clapping from the judge's podium snapped Farran out of his stupor, drawing his attention to Igor, "Welcome to the Velvet Room, my dear guest. My, my… I do believe congratulations are in order. Despite the overwhelming odds that had been stacked against you, you managed to persevere, and defeated a difficult foe with aplomb, in such a short amount of time as well. Now, another Palace has been razed by your hands, and most surprisingly, the ruler of that Palace has joined your team as a Persona user. Most intriguing. Hmhmhm."

"I'm actually curious about that, Igor. The video that we saw showed Blake and Sun laying at the docks after that big fight, but that wasn't supposed to happen until today. Not only were they there a day before they were supposed to be, but everything that was happening in Blake's Palace made it seem like the deadline should have been yesterday too. Like, her Shadow was supposed to be transported down to some isolated cell at the end of an underwater tunnel at midnight last night? There's no way we would have been able to reach her there..." Farran rubbed the back of his neck, "I don't mean to sound disrespectful, but is it possible that the video was… wrong?"

"Ah, I see… Under those circumstances, I cannot blame you for doubting the validity of the videos. However, as before, I can assure you that the events they foretell will happen, without fail. That being said, your interpretation of those events may not necessarily be entirely accurate." After a moment, he reached over to the side of his podium to pick up a deck of blue cards, and began to shuffle them, "Perhaps it may help me explain my point if you were to see what would have happened leading up to those events."

Igor set the deck down, and drew one card off the top. It began to glow with a faint light, and floated down from the judge's podium until it rested in Farran's hands. From what he had read in his research into his bonds, the card appeared to be of the Tower arcana, its face portraying a scene of a tall tower crumbling after being struck by lightning, with the letters "XVI" emblazoned underneath. Before Farran could get a better look at it, the image on the card's face faded away, replaced instead by a vivid image of a room he'd never seen before, almost as if the card itself had started to play a video. Two men stood facing each other on opposite sides of a wooden desk. The one, a rather nervous looking White Fang member, bared a striking resemblance to the Lieutenant that had given orders to the guard Shadows in Blake's Palace. The other, cool and composed as the last time Farran had seen him, dressed in his white suit and bowler cap was…

"Torchwick." Farran grumbled.

"So tell me, Banesaw." Despite his calm demeanor, Torchwick's voice oozed with clear annoyance, "Was your interrogation of those two brats useful? Cause I would hate to find out that any of your men have been leaking info to the Huntsmen Academies. And I'm pretty sure you don't want to find out what Neo would do if they made me upset…"

"N-No, sir!" The Lieutenant waved his hands in front of him, "It wasn't anything like that, I swear! The monkey Faunus, he's from Haven, sir. He doesn't have anything to do with us. He stowed away on a ship from Mistral, and that's where he learned about the Dust shipment. When he and the girl began to look into the Dust shop robberies, they decided to stake out the docks. That's all…"

"Well, that explains Monkey Boy, at least…" Torchwick pinched the bridge of his nose, "But what about the catgirl? You manage to get any information out of her?"

"Well, she's-"

"Well, she's what?" Ozpin cut him off. He laid his cane down on the desk, the tip flipping open to reveal its gun barrel, which was pointed directly at the Lieutenant's torso.

"S-She's Lieutenant B-Blake Belladonna, sir!" He stammered, "Commander Taurus's former second-in-command! She ran off a couple years ago and went AWOL. Ever since, Commander Taurus put out an order for us to bring her back to him unharmed, sir!"

Torchwick stared at the Lieutenant dumbfounded for a moment, and then began to laugh. It started low and barely audible, but soon became a full-on cackle, "So you mean to tell me that Kitty Cat here is Taurus's long lost Ex? The one he keeps yammering on about?! Oh, this is just way too rich."

"S-Sir?"

"Alright, this is what we're gonna do. Go tell your men to load everything up for transport. I just got word from our employers that we're not gonna be using this warehouse anymore. Too much heat in this area with Ol' Ironwood coming. As for you, Banesaw…" Torchwick gave him a malicious grin, "Knock out Monkey Boy and Kitty Cat and have them dropped back off at the shipping yards."

"Wha- But sir!" The Lieutenant's jaw dropped, "We can't just do that! Commander Taurus's orders were-"

"Do I really look like I give a damn about his orders, Banesaw?" Torchwick pulled out a cigar and lit it, "Besides, it'll give him a little red cape to chase after while the rest of us are actually busy getting things done. Unless… you want me to tell Neo that you disobeyed a direct order from me?"

"N-No, sir. Right away, sir."

"Good."

With that, the card's face faded out to black, as it began to disappear from Farran's hand in a shower of glittering light.

"So, now you see, my dear guest, the events that would have happened had you not managed to save your friend when you did." Igor's fingers drummed a delicate beat on the podium in front of him, "Your friend, as well as the boy who assisted her in reaching that fated location, would have been abducted and tortured for by that group which you faced. What appeared to be your friend awakening after a battle, was in fact her awakening after being placed at the scene of a skirmish that had already passed. Of course, this was a worst case scenario for her. The past which she had gone to lengths to run from, as well as protect those around her from, had suddenly come back and maimed someone else because of her. It is for this reason that she would have run away. Similarly, this event was reflected in her Palace. For so long, she believed that she only had two options, return to her painful past, or to die alone, isolated from everyone around her. Her Shadow being placed in that isolated cell would have represented her past forcing her down that second path. Of course, that all changed when you and your friends managed to help her overcome her past, and find where she truly belonged." Igor chuckled, "As for how you would reach the Palace ruler after she was placed in isolation, well… You do attend a school which teaches combat, do you not? Surely there must be equipment you could have borrowed in order to traverse through that tunnel."

"Alright, I suppose that makes sense, but…" Farran furrowed his brow, "If all that was really going to happen, why wasn't that in the video in the first place?"

"The events that are predicted in the videos you are shown are of the events immediately after the deadline you have been given, after the point of no return. I am not the one who controls what you are shown. Also, I do not wish to sound heartless, my dear guest, but would it really have mattered whether or not you had seen those events originally?" Igor rested his chin on his hand, "Was the fact that your friend was about to run off to an unfortunate fate enough to spring you into action. In fact, after what I have seen from you so far, I would actually hazard a guess that you would have reacted poorly if that was added. The anxiety of knowing your friend faced torture, on top of everything else, would have caused you to not think as clearly."

"That… Yeah, I probably would have been more stressed about getting everything done sooner had I known about that…" Farran muttered.

"In any event, this should be a moment of celebration of another successful victory on your part, my dear guest. And yet…" Igor's smile flickered for just a moment, "You seem to be very troubled on this night. Usually, summoning one of our guests to the Velvet Room is not as difficult as it was tonight. Tell me, is there something troubling you?"

Farran opened his mouth to deny it, but no words came out. At Igor's insistent stare, he hunched over, burying his face in his hands, "Yeah, Igor… Yeah there is…Everything that happened this weekend, it's all my fault. I almost got my teammates killed! We didn't take this Palace down with 'aplomb' or whatever, we got our asses handed to us. Blake's Shadow tore us apart, and we just barely beat it. Hell, Torchwick was the one shot I had at finding out about my past, and he destroyed me without even trying. He could have killed me… And just like Ozpin said, I can't go after him, or the same thing would just happen again. And that's not even including that cognitive version of Adam or whatever it was… You gave me this special power, and yet…"

"Farran…" Viola muttered under her breath.

"Ah, I see. So, you are worried that because of a few recent difficulties, you are not worthy of the power you possess. Worry not, my dear guest, as I am not any more disappointed in your performance than I am with Viola's. You see, defeating a Palace ruler is a difficult undertaking, one that requires much training, planning, and preparation. However, such a short amount of time to complete your goal, you did not have time for any at all. Notice, if you would, how well you fared against the last Palace ruler compared to this one, after you had a month to prepare for it. In the past, our guests have had to use that much time, if not more, to prepare to face Shadows of that caliber. Facing weaker Shadows strengthens your body, as well as your Personas, but you did not have the luxury of being able to train in this case. Your skirmish in the real world was much the same. You must train your body in order to be ready for strong foes such as that, my dear guest. And yet, you have been given the blessing of attending a school in which practicing the art of combat is your curriculum. Grow stronger, practice with those around you, and strengthen your bonds, and I assure you, not only will you be able to handle the tasks ahead of you, you will also find all the answers you seek at this journey's end."

"Well, that's just the thing… It's not just getting stronger that was an issue…" Farran stared at the ground ahead of him, "It's my bonds as well…"

"Oh?"

"Ever since I started with all this, I've just been winging it whenever I bond with my friends. Like, whenever they're dealing with stuff, I just sort of trust my gut and go with it. It's been all well and good up until now, but Blake…" Farran shook his head, shrinking into his seat, "When I first started my bond with her, it seemed to be going fine. But her Shadow said that me trying to help her was part of why she ran off. I just sort of twisted the knife when she and Weiss got in an argument. I… I have no idea what the hell I'm doing, Igor. I really don't. And yet, even when we were talking last night, I just instantly went with my instinct and tried to get her to talk things out with us. I just don't want to say something, and be the reason something like this happens again. Not to them…"

"My dear guest, I cannot blame you for your hesitation on this matter. However, I must say that you overestimate just how much impact one event has on Fate. While your comments may have contributed to your friend's decision, it was but one drop in an entire sea of events that led to it. These past few days most likely would have happened regardless of if you chose to forge a bond with her in that instance. And what's more," Igor tapped on his own chest, "it is my humble opinion that you did as you should have. You see, that instinct that you have been following is your bonds guiding you. Its pull is very weak at first, but it grows stronger as you grow closer, and even more so with a Persona. Tell me, have there been moments where it felt as if your Persona itself was communicating with you while you were strengthening your bonds?"

"I…" Farran thought back. From what he could remember, there were times when he was hanging out with his friends that felt like he was being told what to do to help them. In fact, there was one point he could remember hearing Charon trying to talk to him while he was with Ruby, "Yeah… Yeah, now that I think about it, there definitely were."

"That is the phenomena of which I speak, my dear guest. Therefore, I ask that you not despair over recent events. Instead, trust that your bonds will guide you down the right path. And, if you truly still feel responsible for what happened to your friend, I would advise you to talk with her. Surely, your bond with her, as well as your Persona, will aid you." Just as Igor said this, a bright light cut through the Velvet Room, blinding Farran slightly. Just past the light, he could see the courtroom begin to warp around him, "Ah, it would appear that we are out of time for tonight, and that one of your bonds is in desperate need of your aid. Whether or not you choose to help them is your choice, however, I implore you to follow what your heart tells you, my dear guest. Until we meet again…"

* * *

A bright light stung Farran's eyes as he was drug back to consciousness in Team RWBY's dorm room. Evidently, he had been asleep for quite some time, as the dark of night had completely replaced the remnants of evening sunlight that had crept through the window when he'd arrived, and someone had come and turned off the lights in the room as well. Past the glare of the light, which came through a crack in the doorway, Farran could just barely make out a wisp of silver hair move out into the hallway as it closed, leaving him in relative darkness.  _Weiss_? He reached over to his side, grabbing his scroll and popping it open to check the time, seeing that it was 10:48. He had managed to sleep for over four hours. As he sat up, pushing the last vestiges of sleep out of his mind, he thought back on what Igor had said.

"So, if one of my bonds needs help, does that mean Weiss…?"

His heart skipped a beat. Half a second later he was stumbling through the door out into the hallway, trying to catch his footing. The hallway stretched out on either side of him, empty and quiet, except for the muffled sounds coming from the other dorm rooms. On his left, at the very end of the hall, he saw a flutter of white, as Weiss's skirt disappeared into the kitchenette. He gave chase, following her into the stairwell, where he heard her footsteps leading upwards. Farran took two steps at a time, trying to catch up with the silver-haired girl, but by the time he reached the landing just before the flight that led to the roof, he could hear the clang of the metal door leading out to the rooftop closing. His heart sank as he rushed up the last few stairs, throwing open the door, only to find the empty rooftop stretch out ahead of him. He took a few steps out, frantically looking around him, when he heard a small voice behind him, over by the door.

"…Farran?"

He spun around to see Weiss sitting there, staring at him in genuine confusion and surprise at his sudden, frantic appearance, "What are you doing here? I thought you were asleep."

"I… but… you… Oh forget it." Farran let out a deep sigh, relieved, at least, that his fears didn't come to fruition, "Yeah, I was sleeping. Kinda woke up when you opened the door, though."

"Oh, I see…" She visually deflated, resting her chin on her knees, "I'm sorry… I didn't mean to wake you."

"Eh, don't worry about it." Farran waved her off, "It was about time I woke up anyways. Wasn't planning on sleeping this long to begin with. Anyway, what brings you up here? Didn't take you for the type to hang out on the roof."

"I was…" She turned away from him, "I just needed somewhere I could be alone to think. That's all…"

Farran opened his mouth to ask what was wrong, but hesitated, "…Would you like me to leave?"

She gave him a wry smile, "Something tells me that, even if I wanted you to leave, you'd just stay here anyway."

Part of him was screaming to leave her alone, and not to make the same mistake he had with Blake by forcing someone to talk about their problems. At the same time, he could hear a faint voice in the back of his mind, urging him not to leave her alone. Farran couldn't help but remember what Igor had said, reassuring him to trust his instincts.

"Well, if I'm being honest…" He leaned up against the door, "If you really want to be alone, I'll head back downstairs. I don't want to be an annoyance if you're already dealing with a lot. But really, I'd hate to leave you to deal with this all alone, you know? After everything I've gone through in the past month, the last thing I want is for any of you guys to feel alone. You don't have to say anything if you don't want to, just know that I'm here if you need anything. Ok?"

In the end, she just nodded, and Farran turned to watch the dark clouds roll overhead, nothing but the sound of the calm spring breeze to break the silence between them. Every so often, Weiss would let out a little sniffle, causing Farran to open his mouth to speak, but the faint voice told him to bite his tongue, and to just wait a little longer.

"Hey, Farran…" After a few more minutes of waiting, Weiss finally broke the silence, "Do you… I know you're going to think this is stupid, but… Do you think I belong here at Beacon?"

"Do I think you belong here? When you're at or near the top of our class in nearly every metric, and not to mention you're pretty much the only thing keeping me alive in Dust Studies?" He shot her a grin, "I dunno, Weiss. I think it might be a little bit of a stretch, but I'm fairly certain that, yeah, you belong here."

"I'm not as smart as you think I am, Farran. Academically, yes, but there are still a lot of things about the world that I don't know. Things that I've been running into more and more ever since I came here…" She muttered, "And I'm not particularly strong either. You can't say there isn't a required amount of strength that a Huntress should have. So, where do I fit in, when you have people like Yang on the team. Or Ruby, for that matter. She has a similar stature to mine, and yet she can wield that scythe of hers without any problems."

"Eh, I still think you're pretty strong, for your size at least. Even if you weren't, strength isn't everything." Farran shrugged, "If it was, I wouldn't belong here either. Not after this…" He moved his injured leg around, "And it's not just me. Blake isn't really the strongest, and neither is Velvet. Besides, can you honestly tell me you don't belong here, just cause you can't bench as much as Yang? You don't have any problems fencing circles around meatheads like Cardin's team with Myrtenaster, and you're a hell of a mage too."

"Please do not use Team CRDL as a litmus test for whether or not I'm worthy to be a Huntress. I do have my pride, after all…" She grimaced, "But even with as prideful as I am, I'm not mentally strong enough to back it up. I-"

"Weiss, come on. What's really the issue here?" The words fell out of Farran's mouth before he could stop himself.

She flinched, "I… Well… I received a call from my Father today…"

"Your dad? He's harassing you again?"

"Again? He never stopped in the first place." She let out a sad chuckle, "Ever since the last time you and I talked about this, I've been able to just ignore him. I just deleted his messages without listening to them, and moved on… But today, I decided to listen, and I realized that he was absolutely right. I'm not cut out to be a Huntress… I should just go home and fulfill my duty as the Schnee family heiress, and wait until my father has me married off to someone worthy of inheriting the company."

"Weiss, hold on. Where is all this coming from? If you've been fine since the last time we've talked, then what happened that's making you think-"

"Yesterday happened." She cut him off. She glared at him, her eyes beginning to well up with tears. "Blake's Palace happened. And more importantly, she happened. I saw her, Farran. I don't want to admit it, I don't even want to ever think about it again, but I saw her. My Shadow…"

"You… You saw your Shadow?" Farran gaped, "When did that happen?"

"It was after you all came back to defeat Blake's Shadow. I can't remember all too well what happened, but I remember being swallowed up by that torrent of shadows… Then, somehow I woke up in some room that looked almost like my room at the Schnee family manor, except there was no door or windows. That's when she appeared… She… Farran, she it was horrifying just how much she looked like me! Like I was looking in a mirror, except she was wearing one of the dresses I always used to wear before I got my combat skirts. And her face, it looked… normal…" She reached up and touched the bottom of her scar, "She… She started to tell me all the things that my Father has said to me, from my childhood until I told him I was going to attend Beacon and all the way until now… That I wouldn't be anything without my family's name… It was unsettling, honestly. Hearing all of that with my own voice. But that wasn't all… She… She told me that no matter what I do, or where I go, or how hard I try, I can't escape the fate my Father has set out for me. That I'm destined to be his good little puppet, who will unquestioningly do as he tells me, and think as he wants me to. Even now, after everything I've done to try to break away from his influence, I can't deny what she said…" Thin lines of tears began to roll down her cheeks, "Father always taught us never to trust the Faunus. He taught us that they were nothing but criminals and scum… I carried that here with me to Beacon… And because of that, Blake, after she put her trust in me that I wasn't a despicable human being like Father… And all I did was throw that trust back in her face! I couldn't break away from my Father's influence when she needed me most, and because of that, I almost got you all killed! She… Blake loves me, but I don't deserve it at all… In the end, I couldn't deny what my Shadow said, but I couldn't accept her either… I couldn't even bring myself to speak… I just sat there and listened to her berate me until I woke up back in the dorm… I really am useless…"

Weiss finally buried her face in her hands, sobbing softly. Farran stared at her, biting his lip, desperately searching for something he could say that would make her feel better. The faint voice in his mind spoke up once again, this time much clearer, and it was then that he realized that the voice he had been hearing belonged to Lady Luck. She told him,  _"Be firm, but gentle."_  Farran couldn't help but shake his head at the oxymoron.

"Hey, Weiss…" Farran slid down the wall until he was seated next to her, "You don't hate Blake, do you? Even though she's a Faunus and used to be a member of the White Fang?"

"No, of course not." Weiss grumbled, "I wouldn't have said what I did otherwise."

"What about Velvet? Or Sun? Even if they never were in the White Fang, they're both still Faunus."

"No, I don't hate Velvet either. I don't particularly know her all to well, though. As for Sun, he's the monkey Faunus from the boat, correct? I'm still not entirely sure how I feel about him, but it's not hate." She gave him a suspicious look, "Why do you ask?"

"It's simple." He smirked, "How would your father react to you joking around with Blake and Yang this morning, even though she's both a Faunus, and a former member of the White Fang?"

"O-Oh…" Realization struck her.

"See what I'm getting at? Weiss, you've come so far since you got here in terms of thinking for yourself. But all the harm that's been done by your dad forcing his beliefs into everything you did isn't going to go away so easily. Especially not with something that you have your own personal reasons for, like your hatred of the White Fang. I can't really blame your for that, given what they've done to the SDC, and I doubt Blake would either." Farran shrugged, "Even on that front, I think you're changing. Could you honestly say you would have been fine with knowing about Blake's past when you first came here? And yet here we are! You really don't give yourself enough credit, Weiss. You're far from useless."

"Even though I didn't accept my Shadow?" She perked up, slightly.

"Hey, Blake didn't either, at first. And if I'd been dealing with the shit you've gone through for as long as you have, I might not have either. You're fine, Weiss. And no matter what you think about yourself, we're not letting you go anywhere. Got it?" He watched her for a moment, as she deflated even more, "You're still not convinced?"

"What you've said is all well and good, but only from a standpoint of me remaining on the team." She let out a ragged breath, "But Blake says she loves me…"

"…You don't feel the same way?" Farran frowned.

"Dating and love… I never gave them much thought. Especially with another woman. My father made it very clear that he would be arranging my marriage, and that it would be to a man. He's not homophobic, mind. That's one positive thing about him, I guess… He just sees marriage and sex as means to his own personal gain, not something that comes from love. Having my marriage be to a man ensures that he could control that I would bare children of an 'acceptable lineage', as he would say. That isn't the case if I were to be with another woman. I know this sounds ridiculous, but I've honestly never considered my own sexual preferences because I never thought the choice would be up to me." She buried her face in her hands again, "I don't know what I'm going to say whenever Blake decides to bring up this whole issue again… After all this, I don't want to hurt her again…"

"Weiss, I really don't think Blake's going to be too broken up if she decides to ask you out, and you turn her down because you don't know what your preference is." He patted her on the shoulder, "If anything, I'm sure she'd be happy to help you figure out what it is, if there was anything she could do. All of us would."

"What exactly could any of you do to help me figure that out?"

"I… Huh… I dunno. Maybe…" He paused for a moment, "Well, you change with them, right? Try taking a peek the next time, see what you think. I'm sure Yang would- OW!"

Weiss stamped on his foot, her heel digging in deep, "Do not continue down that line of logic, Farran Park."

"Sorry, sorry!" He leaned down and rubbed his foot, "That is the fastest way I can think of, though! I don't really know if there's anything we can say or do to help you, Weiss. I just hope you know that all of us are here for you, whenever you need us."

"I know, Farran. I know. And…" She gave him a genuine smile, "Thank you for sticking around. It's nice to get this all out in the open."

"Of course, Weiss."

The two of them got up, and as they quietly made their way down the stairs, Farran could feel his heart surge, as the bond between them strengthened. Farran couldn't help but smile as he remembered what Igor had told him. So long as he trusted in his bonds, and vice versa, maybe things would turn out all right.  _Trust… I think it's about time all of us had a talk about that._

"Hey, Weiss…" Farran stopped on one of the stairwell landings, "You said you wanted for all of us to talk about the Metaverse, right?"

Weiss froze, checking down the stairwell to make sure there was no one else present to hear the echoes of Farran's voice. She gestured for him to come closer, keeping her voice quiet, "Yes, I did. I would like to know just what you all intend to do with that world, given that it doesn't seem like this weekend was the last time you were plan to use it. At the very least, I would like to plan a schedule so your supernatural do-gooding doesn't end up interfering with your studies."

He raised an eyebrow, "You say that as if you're not a part of this yourself. Did you decide you don't want to get involved?"

Weiss frowned, "It's not a matter of whether or not I want to be involved, Farran. I've already faced my Shadow, remember? And I didn't accept it…"

"That's assuming it really was your Shadow in the first place. After everything you went through, it's entirely possible you were having a nightmare of some kind. And besides, you said you didn't reject it either, right? So it might not be impossible for you to still get your Persona, if that's something you feel comfortable doing. None of us are going to pressure you to do it, though. Not for something like that." Farran shrugged, "Anyways, the reason I ask is because I wanted to talk to the others about all that tonight. I just wanted to know if you felt comfortable enough talking about all that with them or not before I brought it up."

"I… I don't know, Farran…" She looked down, dejected, "Talking to you is one thing, but… I…"

"Weiss, it's ok. Really, it is." He patted her on the shoulder, "I'm not going to push you to talk about it in front of everyone. We all went through a lot yesterday, and you got the worst of it. I'm sure we can just move past the issue without anyone pressing you about it. I just hope you realize you can trust us, and none of us would judge you for it."

"I know, Farran…" She nodded, sounding somewhat convinced, "And I'll try."

The two continued their trek back down to the dorm room, and by the time they arrived, the rest of the team had already returned and settled in. Ruby sat perched atop her bed, merrily humming to some soft song coming from the headphones she wore around her neck as she performed her usual maintenance on Crescent Rose. Blake lay stretched out on her own bed, absentmindedly reading one of her books, half listening to a rather animated Yang that sat next to her on the bed. When the door closed behind Farran and Weiss, Yang turned to them, shooting them a sly grin.

"Ohohohoho. And just what were you two doing alone this late at night?" She tittered.

"Please don't start with your nonsense, Yang." Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose as she breezed over to one of the desk chairs, "Farran and I were just talking, that's all."

"Talking, huh? Is that what the kids are calling it these days?" Yang leered.

"Yang, stop being weird." Ruby huffed, setting Crescent Rose aside and pulling off her headphones.

"Anyways," Farran cleared his throat, "If you guys don't mind, there's something I want to talk with you all about."

"All four of us at once, Hero? Wow, you really are bold, aren't you- OW!" Yang rubbed the top of her head, where Blake had just biffed her with her book, "Alright, alright, I'm done. What were you saying, Farran?"

"Well, you remember how Weiss wanted us all to have a talk about the Metaverse, right? I just figured now would be as good of a time as any for us to talk about it. After all, we don't know when the next prediction video is gonna hit."

"I suppose you got a point there…" Yang leaned back on top of Blake's legs, "You got the first one out of nowhere, and the second one came out two days after we beat Richards's Palace, and even then, it was only a day after the deadline. Still, what do you want to talk about?"

"Well, first off, I want to make sure you all still want to do this. I'm sticking with it, no matter what. I kinda have to with my power and all. But you guys, after everything we've been through, I don't want to force you to keep going if you'd rather not." He turned towards Ruby, "Ruby, you've been with me since the start of this, but I don't to pressure you. Do you still-"

"Of course!" She cut him off, beaming, "When I accepted my Shadow, I knew there was no turning back. I'm not gonna just sit on the sidelines now! Besides, if I didn't go with you, you'd just go and get yourself killed. Again."

"Same here, Hero." Yang sat up, punching her open palm, "We've already cleared two Palaces now. It's way too late for us to be backing out!"

"Thank you. Both of you." He gave them a sincere smile, "What do you think, Blake? It'd be useful to have you and… Hatshepsut, I think you said? But it's alright if you don't want to be a part of this."

"No, I'll help." She closed her book and reached up, gently pulling her ribbon free from her ears, "You can frame it however you like, but I do owe you all so much, Farran. For so long, I felt lost and afraid, and if it weren't for all of you, who knows what would have happened to me. Now, I finally feel free to be honest about what and who I really am, even if it's just with you. And that doesn't even include what you did for all the Faunus here at Beacon by getting rid of Richards. If I can help do even a fraction of what you guys have done already, it'll all be worth it."

"Aww, Blakey! You don't owe us anything. We're just happy to help!" Yang prodded her in the ribs, only for Blake to roll her eyes, "Alright, so that makes four of us, now. What about you, Ice Queen?" Her question was met with dead air, "…Weiss?"

When Weiss continued to hesitate, Farran tried to scoot the conversation along, "Yang, come on, she's just-"

"No, Farran. It's fine. Just give me a moment." She gave him a reassuring smile, then took a deep breath, "For me, it isn't so much whether or not I want to help you, it's… Well... The other night, while we were in Blake's Palace, I saw my Shadow."

"Wait, what?!" Ruby's eyes shot open wide.

Weiss went on to explain what she had already told Farran about her Shadow, this time much more composed. Her teammates gave her the floor, keeping silent until she finished speaking, "Farran brought up the fact that it may have been a nightmare, which I cannot completely deny. However, regardless of if it was real or a dream, the fact remains that I didn't accept my Shadow. And now, the idea of going back into that other world and facing her again, especially after being too weak to accept her the first time is… unnerving, to say the least. So…"

"…S'okay." Yang grinned, "I gotta say, that's real big of you to admit, Weiss. Certainly can't blame you for it, either. I don't know whether it would be better or worse, knowing what your Shadow's gonna say."

"Thank you. I will, of course, still help in any way I can, even if it's only on this side. That is, of course, so long as what you ask of me is permitted by school rules." She folded her arms, shooting a cross look at Farran and Blake, both of which turned away bashfully. Ozpin, while merciful over their involvement at the docks the other night, had still decided to give Blake detention after she took the blame upon herself. If that weren't enough, Goodwitch let it slip about Farran's detention during her lecture. Weiss nearly blew a gasket. Farran, meanwhile, was thankful that she didn't remind Weiss that he had nearly been expelled, otherwise he feared Weiss may have run him through with Myrtenaster. "However, I will only agree to help you all under one condition. No more secrets. I'm still none to pleased to hear that you three were risking your lives in some other world, all the while keeping me and Blake in the dark about it all."

Farran shrunk, "Weiss, we've been over this. We always planned to tell you guys about it once we got the chance, and it's not like you would have believed us without proof anyways!

"That doesn't matter, Farran!" Blake glowered at him, "What if something would have happened to the three of you over there?! It would be like if the three of you just up and disappeared, and neither of us would have known what happened or why!"

"Alright, alright. Everyone calm down. How about this?" Ruby leapt down from her bed, inserting herself in between the group. Farran would never know where she got all her energy from, "Weiss, I can understand where you're coming from, and I'm sorry. I kinda agree with you in some ways too. So from now on, no more lies, no more secrets, no more hiding stuff from each other. If there is anything you're going through or struggling with or need to say, you come and talk about it with all of us."

"Everything, Rubes?" Yang gave her sister a half amused, half skeptical look.

"Yes, everything!" Ruby put her hands squarely on her hips, "We're a team, aren't we? We all need to be completely open with one another. If not, how can we trust each other in battle?"

"Ruby…" Weiss sighed, "I understand where you're coming from, but there are plenty of other teams out there, and none of them are that open."

"But we're not any old team, are we?" Ruby puffed out her cheeks, "What other team goes to another world and fights Shadows? And think about it for a second, if there's something that you can't trust with us, your teammates, then who can you trust it with? So, if you can't trust anyone, not even your teammates with it, who's to say that whatever it is won't make your Shadow come back out again, you know?"

"That… That is true…"

"So if you're all nervous or whatever about it, then let me start." Ruby moved to the center of the room, sticking her hand out in front of her, "Yang and Farran already know what my Shadow was about. When I was little, my mom died, and ever since, I've been extremely afraid of death. It's hard for me to be a leader, because I'm terrified that anything I tell you guys to do might end up getting you killed. There, now who's next?"

There was a moment's hesitation before, much to everyone's surprise, Blake slid off her bed, and placed her hand firmly atop Ruby's, "This is kind of pointless in my case, since you were all there for my Shadow, but I'll get the ball rolling. I am the daughter of Ghira Belladonna, the former High Leader of the White Fang. I was a member of the White Fang until a few years ago, and committed acts of violence under threats and orders from my… abusive ex-boyfriend. Now that I'm free from him, I'm still trying to figure out where I fit in the world as a Faunus, and as a former member of the White Fang, as well as atone for what I've done."

A short while longer, Yang moved between Ruby and Blake, and placed her hand on top of her partner's, "So… My mom abandoned me. After I was born, she just sort of… dropped me off with my dad, and ran off to who knows where. From what little I know about her, she values strength over everything, so I figured she left me because I was weak. For so long, I was only focused on getting stronger, proving I wasn't as weak as she thought, and let everything else fall to the wayside. Now, I'm doing what I can to get out of that mentality, and stop being such a one-trick pony."

Weiss gulped audibly, before reaching forward and tentatively placing her hand on the top of the stack, "Well… I… Ever since I was a child, my Father controlled every aspect of my life. What I did, where I went, how I acted, how I thought, even who I was going to marry eventually. It is… difficult for me, because now that I've all but broken free from his influence, I have to figure out all sorts of things about my self. My… preferences, for one. Since it who I wanted to be with was never my choice, it isn't something I ever considered." She looked at Blake, smiling sadly, "Blake, I… I'm sorry. You came to me with such a personal issue, and… I just hope this doesn't disappointed you…"

"Weiss, it's ok, really." Blake wrapped her free arm around Weiss's shoulder, "When I first asked you about it, I figured there it was entirely possible, once I figure out how I feel, that you wouldn't be interested in the first place. Just, please remember that we're here for you, and we'll help you if we can. No matter what."

"Thank you…"

The group turned to Farran, looking at him expectantly. In truth, he had planned to ask something similar of them, but in the end, Ruby had taken the ball and ran with it, going further beyond what even he had wanted. Still, he could hardly complain, now that his teammates were showing each other a deeper sense of trust than he had expected, and for that, he was elated. He happily plodded over, and placed his hand on top of Weiss's.

"Well, I'm kinda like Blake. You guys already know what I'm all about." Farran scratched his cheek, awkwardly, "Someone tried to kill me by throwing me off of a building. I have no idea who, or why, because when I woke up, I'd lost all my memories of anything that happened before. I'm still a bit scared, honestly. I have no idea who I was before. But I think I can accept whatever my past is."

"Oh come on, Hero." Yang snickered, "Aren't you forgetting something?"

"Forgetting something?" He furrowed his brow, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Seriously? And after that intimate moment we shared where I helped you with your problem…"

"Oh, I sort of remember something like that. You two were getting really close before you took me to the Metaverse…" Weiss's confusion quickly turned to anger, "You better not have been doing anything untoward!"

"Wha-No! Damnit Yang…" Farran sighed, "Fine, I'm… I'm afraid of being underground, alright? Was this really something that needed to be brought up?"

"Hey, Ruby did say anything, right?" Yang waggled her eyebrows.

"You're afraid of being underground, Farran?" The corner of Blake's mouth twitched, "But you were thrown of a building? Why would you be afraid of being underground?"

"How the hell should I know?!" Farran grumbled, indignantly, "In case you forgot, I lost all my memories when I DIED!"

The four of them burst out laughing, and even though it was at his expense, Farran couldn't help joining in. For the first time since he'd arrived, the feeling in the air that, despite being teammates, they were all still somewhat strangers had vanished. Now, things finally felt as if they were really a team. As if they were really friends. It was this feeling that made Farran feel as if they had taken a much needed step on their journey.

Weiss pulled her hand from the pile, "Now, if you'll excuse me. Given that you all plan to continue going to the Metaverse and all that, I'm going to have to come up with a schedule to ensure none of you fall behind in class. Especially with exams coming up next week."

"Ugh… Please don't remind me…" Yang groaned.

"I'm sorry, were you not the one who asked me to help you ace all of your exams?"

"Yeah, but that doesn't mean I have to be excited about studying. Blech…"

"Oh, Weiss!" Ruby leapt up and grabbed a notebook from her bed, "Before you do that, I was hoping you could help me with a project I want to start working on…"

While the others began to talk excitedly amongst themselves, Farran pulled Blake aside, "Hey, if you don't mind… I need to talk to you for a minute."

"By that, do you mean talk or…" She gave a sly grin in Yang's direction.

"Ok, please don't start acting like Yang, alright? Look, I…" Farran grimaced, "I'm sorry…"

"Sorry for what?" Blake raised an eyebrow, "You didn't do anything."

"No, I did… It's just… I have to apologize for before. When I made you talk to me about being a Faunus… Your Shadow, she… she said that that was part of the reason you ran off. Because I made you hopeful. And, even though I don't regret trying to help you, if I'm part of the reason you got so hurt, then… I'm sorry."

"Farran…" She shook her head in disbelief, "Don't be so stupid."

"But-"

"I would have run off regardless of anything you said. It wasn't cause you gave me hope, or whatever. It's because I let it slip that I was in the White Fang. Remember, I almost bolted when you first saw my ears." One of her cat ears twitched slightly, "I'll admit, it may have hurt a bit when Weiss and I argued, but that was it, and it wasn't your fault. You don't need to apologize. Although…" She grinned mischievously, "If you really want to make it up to me, I have an idea."

"Y-Yeah?"

"I'm going back to the café tomorrow to see Sun. I want to make sure he's ok after yesterday. Hopefully Goodwitch didn't tear his head off. That, and I have to pick up some of my stuff I left there. If you're so set on apologizing…" She shot him a wink, "Then you can come with me. But, you have to drink a cup of tea of my choice. Deal?"

Farran considered it for a moment, "Yeah. I'll come along. But hold on a second… When you ran out of here on Friday, you didn't take anything with you. How would you have anything you need to get from there?"

"Oh, that? I just snuck in here on Saturday to grab some clothes and stuff after you guys were all gone." Blake shrugged.

"WHAT?!" Yang roared, having overheard that last bit, "Are you seriously telling me you snuck by us while we were out searching for you?! How'd you manage that?!"

"She's like one of those ninjas in those books she keeps on the side of her bed!" Ruby stared at her, awestruck.

Blake paled under Yang's fierce gaze, "I need to find a new hiding spot…"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Happy New Year!
> 
> Sorry this one took so long to get out. My brain has just been flooded ever since I finished the last chapter, and it took forever for me to get this one just right. I hope the fact that it's longer than usual helps you to forgive me! :3
> 
> Before anyone starts to worry: No, I am not relegating Weiss to a real world only role. While having the Metaverse team essentially be Team FRBY (Furby) is really hard to pass up, she will continue to be a main character going forward. I just felt that her Shadow, which won't just be a retelling of what we covered in this chapter, was a better fit for the next Palace, and that it would be normal for her to be hesitant to go back to the other world after what she went through.
> 
> Other than that, in one of the reviews I got a while back, someone recommended that I include what rank that we've hit in all the Social Links/Confidants, so I'm going to start doing that in the AN's after each SL chapter. As of now, this is where we stand:
> 
> Fool: Rank 3
> 
> Lovers (Pyrrha): Rank 1
> 
> Chariot (Yang): Rank 4
> 
> Hermit (Blake): Rank 1
> 
> Fortune (Weiss): Rank 4
> 
> Justice (Jaune): Rank 1
> 
> Death (Ruby): Rank 4
> 
> Star (Velvet): Rank 3
> 
> Moon (Coco): Rank 1
> 
> Sun (Viola): Rank 2
> 
> Judgement (Ozpin): Rank 2
> 
> Other than that, I don't really have much else to add. I'm hoping to have the next chapter out a lot faster than this one, and I hope to see you all then!
> 
> Inferno :D


	22. Back to Normal

**April 29th:  
**

Purr-sonal Details (Hermit II)

"Here." There was a soft clink as Blake set a delicate white teacup on a saucer in front of Farran. A gentle cloud of steam wafted by his face as she took her own cup to the seat opposite his. "Drink up. You have no idea how long I had to look through their menu looking for something you wouldn't complain about."  
After the final bell put an end to a perfectly normal school day, something that felt like a godsend to the both of them after the events of the past four days, Farran and Blake took the first airship down into Vale, and made a beeline through the city to the Bean There Café. During their trek, Blake had described the small shop that sat on the edge of one of Vale's numerous Faunus boroughs as very quiet. However, by the time they arrived, nearly every table on the building's ground floor was occupied by a number of Faunus, all huddled together and talking with hushed excitement. With no other recourse, once Blake had retrieved the bag of her belongings from the room she had been using, the two opted to retreat upstairs to wait for Sun. A short while later, Blake ducked back into the fray to grab the two of them some tea, so that Farran could complete the other part of their deal.  
"Oh, right… Thanks…" Farran muttered absentmindedly, staring off into space.  
Blake just rolled her eyes, "Seriously? I know you don't really like tea all that much, but I got the sweetest thing they had on the menu. Besides, I already paid for it."  
"What? Oh, no. It's not that. It's just… Well…" Farran shook his head, "We stopped in here while we were looking for you this weekend. The guy running the place swore up and down that he hadn't seen you before. Asshole…"  
"Oh… I'm sorry. I know you guys spent a lot of time looking for me." Her lips cracked into a bashful smile, "Still, you can hardly be surprised. A bunch of humans walking through a Faunus neighborhood with weapons… It's not that surprising that no-one was being cooperative, even if you're Huntsmen."  
"Are things really that bad between humans and Faunus? I mean, I know that things aren't great. Everything with Cardin and Richards told me that much. But do they really think we'd just start attacking them in the middle of Vale?"  
"Well, yes and no. I will admit, things are much better now than they were in the past. People like Cardin and Richards who are… well, were… openly against the Faunus aren't as common in the Kingdoms. Faunus aren't actively hunted anymore, and you won't see organized mobs marching against us. Unfortunately, the humans that would have taken part in those large-scale acts of violence years ago have started acting a lot more discreetly. Vandalizing homes and shops, throwing bricks through windows, jumping Faunus under the cover of night…" Blake let out a deep breath, absentmindedly poking her spoon around her teacup, "It wouldn't be so bad if we could get some Faunus into the upper echelons of the government, or even some humans that are sympathetic to our cause. Maybe then, we could get some stronger legislation against hate crimes. But with things how they are…"  
"I see…" Farran thought for a moment, looking for something that would get them off such a sore subject, "Well, in this case, I can't imagine that you telling the owner not to tell anyone you were here helped at all."  
"S-Shut up!" Blake huffed, flustered.  _Bulls-eye_ , "And drink your tea! You promised me you would try some, and it isn't nearly as good cold."  
Having had his fun, Farran reluctantly obliged and raised the steaming cup to his lips. The second he took a sip of the dark liquid, his mouth was filled with the deep, saccharine flavors of honey, cocoa, and vanilla. The pure sweetness of the tea almost left him completely lost for words, "Wow…"  
"It's called silver iris tea, by the way." Blake smiled coyly from behind her own cup, "It's a blend that comes from Kua Kuana, my hometown in Menagerie. It's one of my favorites… My mom always made it for special events, or whenever we would have guests over at the house to see my parents."  
"I can see why. This stuff is fantastic!" Farran took another greedy sip, "I'd bet you guys got a ton of guests, then. Hell, I'd be over every other day just for this."  
"Well, I wouldn't say that the tea was the reason we had so many guests. Even if it tasted better than this when my mom made it, if you'd believe that." She giggled, "Before we moved into the Chieftain's Villa in the center of town, we lived along a major crossroad between the docks and the marketplace. My dad always said he picked that place so he could be around all the Faunus living in town and get everyone's opinions on what the White Fang should be working on when he was still leading them."  
Farran chuckled softly, "You know, it's funny. I think this is the first time you've really talked about what your home was like."  
She gave him a flat look. "Well, obviously…"  
"I mean, I understand why you never told us about it. Can't blame you for keeping everything a secret, knowing what I know now. Still, it's nice to know that you're comfortable talking to us about all this."  
Blake bobbed her head slightly, conceding his point. "Fair enough. I can't deny that it feels good not having to lie about my past anymore. But is hearing about my past really that interesting to you?"  
He shrugged, "Sure. I mean, you're my friend and my teammate, but up until this weekend I hardly knew anything about you. That, and it's not every day you get to hear about the home life of someone who's pretty much a princess."  
Blake folded her arms with a frown, "I'm  _not_  a princess. I know it's pedantic, but the term princess implies that I was born into royalty, and that certainly was not the case. The chieftain names someone who they believe has the qualifications to lead Menagerie, as well as someone who has the support of the people, as their successor. Even though the Chieftain before him tried to get my dad to succeed them when I was still very young, he didn't take the position until he left the White Fang."  
"Huh… I wonder why he waited so long to take it up. I mean, if what you say is true, everyone must have thought really highly of him, right?"  
"He always said that the Chieftain of Menagerie should be someone who could always be there for the people at any given moment. Since he was already the leader of the White Fang, that wasn't something he could do. There were times where he would be gone for days, or would have to leave at a moment's notice."  
"That makes sense…" Farran thought back to the picture Ozpin had showed him the day before, of a much younger Blake standing proud next to her father at some long past Faunus rights rally. "I suppose you guys had to travel often. That must have been hard."  
"I'd be lying if I said it wasn't. My parents wanted me to get a normal education, which meant I had to have all my classes patched through to my parents' scrolls, and that had its own share of problems. Even more so when you consider that Menagerie doesn't have a CCT tower." Her face brightened considerably, "Still, can hardly complain about it when I got to take my classes all over the world instead of sitting in a stuffy classroom all day."  
"Bet you had some real fun stories for your school friends whenever you came home too, huh?"  
"Well…" Blake hesitated, her smile faltering, "Not really, no…"  
Farran furrowed his brow, "Not really?"  
"I mean, I did have friends when I was little. But over time, things… changed." Blake squirmed a bit in her seat, "As we got older, the kids who had been my friends, all they wanted to talk about were completely trivial things. The latest fashion from Atlas, popular shows on TV, whatever music they were really into at the time, who had a crush on who… I didn't care about any of those things. I was so focused on being a part of the fight for Faunus rights. Didn't help that every damn time I left, they'd completely change what they were interested in by the time I got back… So, as time went on, I started growing distant with them…"  
"I'm sorry to hear that… I don't suppose there were any kids your age in the White Fang, huh…" Farran flinched, the thunderous sound of Nekomata hissing in the back of his mind, "I mean, other than… Well…"  
"Adam?" Blake laughed, her smile returning, "Don't worry, Farran. I appreciate you being so cautious for my sake, but it's fine. I'm not going to let him control me anymore. As for your question, I was actually going to bring that up before you asked. While there weren't all too many, there were a handful of kids. Some were like me, their parents already members, so they decided to come along. Others, well… Most were orphans, whose parents died working in places that use Faunus workers."  
"Is that how you came up with the idea to tell me you were an orphan?"  
"Oh, uh… Yeah…" Farran tried to make his question not sound accusatory, and yet Blake still shrunk slightly in her chair, "You'd be surprised just how common of a story that is in the White Fang. Kids who came to Menagerie because they had nowhere else to go… Ilia was the same way."  
Farran leaned forward in his chair, "Ilia?"  
Blake nodded, "Ilia Amitola. She's a chameleon Faunus from Mantle that joined up with us when we were still pretty young, after her parents died in an explosion in one of their Dust mines. Ilia was pretty much the only one, besides Adam, who I would have considered a friend back then. Everyone else, we had each others backs and were brothers and sisters in arms, sure. But for Ilia and I… things were different. We would hang out together after meetings and rallies, and we kept each other sane. Well… relatively sane, at least."  
Farran smiled, taking another sip of tea, "Well, what sort of things did you guys get up to?"  
"All kinds of things!" Blake's face absolutely lit up, "The two of us went on all sorts of adventures whenever we traveled. We didn't get to go to Atlas or Mantle very often, but whenever we did, she would always show me around to anywhere that was Faunus friendly." Her smile widened with every sentence, "And when we were in Menagerie, the two of us would always go to Mouette Inlet together. It's this little bay on the ocean that all the aquatic Faunus live around. There are a ton of boardwalks that cross over the water, and all along them are some of the best restaurants that Menagerie has to offer. We would go there and eat and hang out by the water, and she even taught me how to swim!"  
"They do a lot of swimming up in Mantle? I never would have guessed." Farran smirked.  
"Oh, ha ha." Her voice dripped with sarcasm. "Actually, she went to a private school in Atlas while her parents were still around, a pretty wealthy one at that. She can very easily pass for human, as long as she doesn't change her color." Blake amended to answer Farran's questioning look, "But that's where she learned how to swim. Rich people love their heated indoor pools and all that."  
"Wait, but if she went to a prep school…" Farran connected the dots in his head, "Blake, how old were you when you learned how to swim? You weren't really afraid of the water, were you?"  
The sudden blush on Blake's face was telling. "S-Shut up!" she grumbled.  
The two sat at that table for quite some time, joking and laughing as Blake continued to regale Farran with stories from her past. Happy memories, both from her home and her time spent with the White Fang. It was refreshing to finally hear the true story of the girl he had been living with over the past month, and more than that, he was happy to give Blake a platform to talk about things she had kept bottled up for way too long, things that made her genuinely smile. It was truly a new side of her that he had not seen before, and the fact that she now trusted him enough to share it with him cause Farran's heart to surge, telling him their bond had grown stronger. A few minutes later, their conversation was cut off by Sun's voice coming from the doorway.  
"Ugh…  _Finally_  he shuts up!" The blond Faunus whined as he crossed over to their table, plopping down in an empty seat, "I swear, that guy sounds just like my freaking mom sometimes…"  
"What took you so long, Sun? You're awfully late." Blake mused, "We've been here for over half an hour now."  
"I know, sorry… Goodwitch had me running around the place today, getting all my paperwork in. Slave driver… But, it's fine. I got everything done, and now I'm completely legal to be here! Got my passport and everything." He proudly thumped on one of his jacket pockets, "Thing is, I wanted to be back here before you guys showed up, but on my way here, I got a call from my buddy, Neptune. He spent the past hour chewing me out! Apparently, Professor Lionheart caught wind of what happened at the docks, and decided to tell him about it. Probably knew he would ream me about it, too… My ears are still ringing…"  
"Neptune… Is that one of your teammates?" Farran watched as Sun glumly picked at his ear, his tail wilting behind him.  
"Hm? Oh, yeah. Nep's my partner, and the 'N' in Team SSSN. The two of us go way back, before we even started going to Haven." Sun shook his head, "Wouldn't guess it with how much of a worrywart he is about me. Dude should know I can take care of myself."  
"Sun, he probably worries about you because of how long you've known each other." Blake snickered, "At least, if you stowing away on boats to get to other Kingdoms is a regular occurrence."  
"Hey, that was just this once, thank you!" He grumbled, "Well… Twice, if you count me getting to Mistral in the first place…"  
"Sun…" Blake pinched the bridge of her nose.  
"Hey, don't even start. That time was completely different!" Sun shrank in on himself, "I had permission to be on that boat! Well, sort of…"  
Farran stared at him, "How do you 'sort of' get permission to stow away on a ship?"  
"I… How do I put this?" He closed his eyes, thinking, "My family doesn't exactly have a lot of money. Like, we get by just fine, at least compared to a lot of people I know back home, but getting a ticket to Mistral was way out of my price range. But Neptune, his family is loaded. See, they own one of Vacuo's major shipping companies, and they got ships running from nearby port towns to the other Kingdoms every day. So, the day the two of us were set to leave, Nep snuck me onto one of the ships heading that way, and away I went!"  
"If it was so expensive, why didn't you just go to the Academy in Vacuo? I mean, wouldn't that have been easier?"  
"Eh, Shade's alright. But to trade the weather around Haven for living in the middle of that Dust-damned desert? Hell no. Besides, I had my own reasons for leaving…" He stared off wistfully for a moment.  
"Then why didn't you just ask his family to let you ride on their ship?" Blake pressed her lips together, "Or better yet, if they're so rich, you could have asked them to help you get a ticket along with your friend. You'll be making more than enough to pay them back once we can start taking missions."  
"See, we thought about all that back then, but there's one small problem with that…" Sun slumped his shoulders, "Granny Vasilias is the head of their whole family, and the old bird runs pretty much their whole operation. Finances, business decisions, everything. And she, well…"  
"She's not a fan of you?" Farran finished his sentence.  
"Understatement of the century, but pretty much, yeah." He set his jaw, "She didn't want Neptune having anything to do with me when we were growing up, and whenever I tried to go see him, she'd have her security toss me out."  
"Was it because you're a Faunus?" One of Blake's cat ears flicked.  
"Wha- No! Hell no. I mean, sure she's a nasty old bat, but even she's not that bad." Sun waved his hands in front of him, "I'm sure me being a Faunus is last on her list of reasons to hate me."  
"What do you mean?"  
"Well, in Vacuo, we don't really think about stuff like that. We live in the middle of a freaking desert, which means it's hard enough getting through every day without having to worry about all that bullshit. So, for the most part, everyone in Vacuo believes that if you can survive out there, you belong. Yeah, we still got our fair share of racist assholes, every Kingdom does, but they're a lot fewer and further between. Hell, Neptune's cousin, who is going to be the head of the family someday, got married to a lioness Faunus last year!" He sighed, shrugging, "But you know, rich people are gonna do what rich people do, no matter where they live. Granny Vasilias doesn't want anyone she thinks will have a negative impact on their family's image to get too close. She thinks I'm a street rat and all, so you can imagine how much she disliked Nep spending time with me."  
"I'm sorry to hear that… But at least there's nothing she can do about it now that you both are on a team, right?" Blake noted.  
"Exactly!"  
Farran felt a light bulb go off in his head, "Hey, Sun… Mind if I ask you a bit of an off topic question?"  
"Hmm?" Sun leaned back in his chair, "Sure, man. Go ahead and shoot."  
"So, you were talking about living in a desert. I know this is gonna sound kinda weird, but…" In the very back of his mind, Farran could hear the faint echo of the voice of a child, one he had heard once before in the Metaverse, "Have you ever heard of a fire lizard?"  
"A fire lizard?" Sun tilted his head slightly, "What, you mean like a Salamander or something like that?"  
"Yeah, that's it!"  
Sun let out a snort of laughter, "Sorry, man. I don't mean to be a dick about it, but someone's been messing with you. They're not a real thing, it's just some urban myth made up to keep kids from wandering out into the desert alone, and to mess with out-of-towners. Got hit with something just like that when I got to Haven. I think they called 'em snipes or something like that? Can't remember."  
"So it's just a myth, huh…" Farran muttered. He had no idea why, but this new revelation left him feeling crestfallen.  
The sound of a high-pitched ringing started to come from Sun's pocket, causing him to spasm wildly as he fumbled for his scroll, "Oh, shit. It's Neptune again. Hold on a sec, I gotta take this." He got up, leaving the table as he wearily lifted his scroll to his ear, "Hey, Nep. What's up? No, I- Yes, I got all my papers today… Yes, I'm all registered for classes too… No… DAMN IT, NEPTUNE! We've been over this!"  
As Sun's voice began to fade as he ducked out of the room, Farran was overcome with a strange feeling. Deep in his heart, he began to feel a surge of power, much like the feeling he had whenever he formed a bond, or when the ones he had formed strengthened. However, this time, the energy that flowed through him felt incomplete, as if something important was missing. A moment passed, and soon the feeling faded away. Time continued to flow as normal, and no eerie voice rang in his mind, leaving him yet another unanswered question to add to the list.  
 **  
April 30th:**

Blake brought a wet sponge to the chalkboard that stood before her, letting a wet slap ring out throughout the room. While she had originally thought her punishment from Oobleck for the past weekends to be pretty tame, simply cleaning a few classrooms, the work soon proved to be extremely monotonous. A fact which was made all the more worse due to the fact that she was quickly losing her patience, thanks to her unfortunate and nettlesome guest.  
"Yang, I swear. If you stick your finger in my ear, I will bite it off." Blake growled.  
She turned to see the offending blonde whip her hand behind her back, smiling innocently, "I have no idea what you're talking about, Blakey."  
Blake just rolled her eyes, "Why are you even here, Yang? Don't you have anything better to do than come and bug me while I'm in detention?"  
"Nope!" Yang popped the 'P' sound through pursed lips as she linked her hands behind her head, "Ruby and Weiss are out shopping, and they dragged Hero along to be their pack mule. There's no sparring practice today either… And you're cooped up in here."  
"So, you decided to come and bug me."  
"Uh-huh."  
"While I'm in  _detention_."  
"Pretty much, yeah."  
Blake let out an exasperated sigh, "Of course you did…"  
"Hey, I wasn't planning on just coming here to annoy you!" She pouted, "I came here to help out!"  
Blake blinked, "Seriously?"  
"I mean, you're stuck cleaning all the rooms on this floor, right? That's way too much for just one person to do, even if it is detention…" She picked up a spare sponge from the bucket Blake had been using.  
"Yang…" Blake had to consciously stop her ears from folding against her head.  
She continued, ignoring Blake's interruption, "So, I figured, since I didn't have anything else going on today, and you were gonna be stuck doing this all alone, I'd just come over and give you a hand-"  
"Yang!" Blake repeated, this time a bit louder.  
She flinched, slowly turning to face her, "W-What's up, Blakey?"  
"Didn't we all agree to be honest with each other when something's bothering us? Not that you aren't good-hearted and all, but this is a bit much, even for you. Now come on, why don't you tell we what's really going on?"  
"I don't know what you're talking-" Yang started, but the face Blake was giving her made it clear she wasn't getting out of this one. She sighed, "Fine. I guess… I guess I just feel kinda guilty, you know?"  
"Guilty?" Blake tilted her head, "About what?"  
"About, well, everything!" Yang turned to the chalkboard and began to glumly wipe away the layers of chalk dust with the sponge, "All this, everything you went through this weekend… Hell, everything you were going through before that. I'm not just your teammate, I'm supposed to be your  _partner_ , Blake. It's supposed to be my job to know when things are bothering you, and to be there whenever you need help. And, I mean, I knew  _something_  was wrong, that's why I kept trying to invite you out to do stuff, but I figured you were just having trouble adjusting to being at Beacon. But I couldn't have imagined… I had no idea…"  
"Yang…" Blake muttered softly, reaching over to her dear friend and rapping her on the top of the head with her knuckles. Ordinarily, so much as touching Yang's hair was cause for a death sentence, but in this situation, Blake knew she'd let it slide, "Don't be stupid. It's bad enough that I got Farran apologizing to me, I don't need you starting it too. It's not your fault, just like it isn't his."  
"But-"  
"No 'buts', Yang." Blake gave her a stern look, "I'm serious, there isn't anything for you to feel guilty about. Honestly, you did everything you could to help me, and then some. You… All of you are the only reason I'm standing here right now. You and Ruby and Farran… and even Weiss, too. Without all of you fighting so hard for me, who knows what would have happened to me. So really, you don't need to feel bad, and there's no reason for you to waste your free time helping me out. Ok?"  
Yang considered her words for a moment, a melancholic frown creasing her lips. However, her usual sunny smile returned soon after, as she pulled Blake into a tight side-hug, "Sorry, but you're not getting rid of me that easy. No matter what you say, it's still bullshit that you're stuck doing this all on your own. Like it or not, I ain't going anywhere, which means you're stuck with me, Kitten!"  
Blake anxiously squirmed her way free from her partner's grip, "Ok, ok, fine. But can you please not call me that?! At the very least, not when we're in public…"  
Yang tilted her head curiously, "Ok, but why not? What's wrong with it?"  
"Besides the obvious?" Blake gritted her teeth, "Look, I'm just not comfortable coming out to the rest of Beacon just yet."  
"You mean about… about your, uh…" Yang caught herself, pointing towards the top of her head instead.  
Blake nodded, "That's exactly what I mean. You know how things are. If one person finds out, the rumor will find its way across campus by the end of the day."  
"Well, sure. If it makes you uncomfortable I'll stop calling you that whenever anyone else can hear." Yang bashfully rubbed the back of her neck, "…Does it still bother you that we know about all that?"  
"No, of course not! The four of you have been nothing but supportive ever since you found out about my past, far more than I could have even dreamed. But not everyone is like that… Even with Richards gone and Cardin changing, there are still plenty of people here at Beacon that are actively prejudiced against… you know." Blake slumped her shoulders, "I know it's pathetic… I know that after facing my Shadow, I should be over this… But every time I think of someone else seeing me without my bow, I just freeze…"  
Yang clapped her on the shoulder, "I don't think it's pathetic at all. Facing your other self is good for clearing your head, and helping you to start getting over stuff, but it isn't some magic cure-all. Hero, Rubes, and I can tell ya that much. As for all that stuff, you just gotta keep working on it. I really think you'll get more comfortable with the idea the more time you spend around humans. You'd be surprised just how few of us are racist assholes. And for those that are, screw 'em. They're shit anyways, so who cares what they think? And without Richards, they can't be so open about it anymore either. Besides, if anyone gives you shit for any reason, they'll have to answer to us, and Team JNPR, too."  
"I appreciate that, Yang. I really do." She gave Yang a warm smile, "But… Would you be willing to help me get through this? I'm not sure I can do it on my own. I don't even know where to start! Gods know you guys and Team JNPR are the only humans I regularly talk to…"  
"Of course!" Yang pounded her chest proudly, "That's what I'm here for! Don't you worry, Blakey. I'll make sure you get to see not all humans are as bad as you think. Besides, it's borderline criminal that you keep those cute little- Oh! Sorry…"  
Feeling Yang reach up towards the top of her head, Blake had braced herself, expecting Yang to try and pet her cat ears. However, the contact never came, as a second later, she quickly recoiled her hand, a grimace on her face. "What's wrong?"  
"Nothing! I mean, well… Damnit…" Yang buried her face in her hands, "You're in love with Weiss, right? And yet, even after we found out, I've been flirting with the two of you like nothing ever happened. I've been trying to force myself to stop, but…"  
Blake bit her lip for a moment, "…Don't worry about it."  
"But isn't that weird to you?!"  
"Honestly, you'd think it would be, but it isn't." She shrugged, "For one, there isn't anything between the two of us yet. I'm still not even sure if what I feel for her is love. I've only gotten as far as realizing that she's more than extremely attractive."  
"Yeah, tell me about it…"  
"And on top of that, Weiss isn't even sure if she's attracted to girls at all yet. So there's no point in me feeling weird about anything in that regard, you know? And more importantly…" Blake smirked, "I've just come to accept that that's how you are. That's how you've acted around me pretty much ever since we became partners, so whenever I think about it at this point, the only thing that comes to my mind is 'That's Yang.' If anything, it would feel weird if you were to just up and stop pointlessly flirting with me."  
"Oh, thanks!" Yang huffed, crossing her arms, "I'll have you know I don't flirt with just anyone. I have extremely high standards!"  
"Is that so?" Blake raised an eyebrow.  
"It is. I wouldn't be caught dead flirting with someone like Russell, or anyone else from Cardin's little group. I am very, VERY particular with who I do and don't flirt with, thank you very much."  
"So, let me get this straight. You supposedly have these high standards…" Blake snickered, "And yet, if I believe what Farran said, you flirted with your own little sister when you were in my Palace?"  
"Why you-!"  
Yang reached down and grabbed a nearby eraser, picking it up and chucking it at her partner. The second it made contact, the felt block exploded into a dense, grey cloud of chalk dust that consumed the both of them. They hacked and sputtered, until a few seconds later, the cloud fell, revealing the pair, their hair, skin, and school uniforms now considerably more pale thanks to the dust that covered them. Once they managed to catch their breath, Blake and Yang stared each other down, Blake not even bothering to stop her ears from folding atop her head. Within the blink of an eye, the two launched in opposite directions, grabbing every eraser they could get their hands on, and diving behind desks for cover. What would emerge in that classroom was a skirmish that would make the Great War seem like a minor scuffle between children on a playground. Erasers were flung this way and that, exploding into more grey clouds that soon covered most of the room with chalk dust. The battle raged, and no end seemed to be even remotely on the horizon, until the sharp sound of someone clearing their throat rang out from the doorway.  
"Children!" Doctor Oobleck, his glasses covered with a thick layer of chalk, snapped.  
Blake dove from behind her cover, bolting towards the chalkboard and snapping to attention, with Yang not far behind her, "Doctor Oobleck! Sir, we were just… we weren't…"  
"Now, now children. I did not come here to rebuke you, or to tell you to stop." With lightning-like speed, he reached into his pocket, and pulled out a small cloth, which he began to wipe his glasses clean with, "I only wish to remind you that Miss Belladonna is not permitted to leave for the day until her assigned work has been completed. I just hope you keep that in mind as you determine what is an acceptable amount of horseplay for your own schedule."  
Blake peered around the room. Much to her own horror, they had managed to make the room far messier than it had been when she started, "Uh… Right. We'll keep that in mind, sir."  
"Very good. Now, if you'll excuse me, I really must be off. Urgent business to attend to and all that." Oobleck slid his glasses back into place, "I'll be back in a few hours to check on your progress!"  
With that, Yang watched as their eccentric professor dashed from the room in a flash. Taking his words to heart, she went over and grabbed a broom from the far end of the room with a grimace, "Yeah… We should really get moving. Otherwise we'll be stuck here all night."  
"You mean  _I'll_  be stuck here." Blake snarked, "You can leave whenever you feel like it. But thanks to you, now I have more work to do than I started with…"  
"Me?! You're the one that started it!"  
"How do you figure?" Blake started fumbling with the power cord of a nearby vacuum, trying to get it plugged in, "You're the one that threw the first eraser!"  
"And  _you're_  the one that was spouting bullshit!" Yang grumbled, "I've said it a million times already. I was charmed! IT. DOESN'T. COUNT!"  
The two began to clean up the mess they had made around the classroom, bickering with each other as they did so. However, what they failed to notice in between their snarking was that, despite his rather rushed disappearance, Doctor Oobleck still hung around the outside of the classroom, his shadow casting a dark presence on the door. He did not pay any mind to the two girls inside, nor to their squabbling, instead focusing on the grand yet sinister thoughts rushing through his mind, as he repeatedly tossed an eraser he had grabbed while he lectured the girls in the air before deftly catching it.  
"Well now… A good, old-fashioned chalk war…" The doctor muttered to himself, excitedly, "Why, I haven't partaken in one since my own school days. In fact, now that I think about it, the last one I participated had no official winner. Well, we just can't be having that, now can we? I wonder what Peter is up to… and whether or not old Fort Port is well equipped for a sneak attack."  
Oobleck silently slipped away from the classroom, the eraser still clutched in his hand. There was much planning to do, and just as much work to be done. This was a war he could not afford to lose, and Peter Port was not a man that he would ever take lightly. As he retreated back to his personal study to prepare, the light glinting off his glasses gave him a look of malicious intent, casting a chill down the spine of any student unfortunate enough to cross his path on the way.

I Can't Sew! (Death V)

"Ruby Rose!" Weiss hissed, desperately attempting to catch her breath, "I'm telling you to unhand me this instant!"  
At the sound of her partner's irate voice, Ruby did as Weiss asked, and the two of them, as well as Farran, came skidding to a stop outside one of Vale's most popular shopping malls. After classes had ended for the day, no sooner than they had managed to return to the dorm and change out of their uniforms, Ruby came to Farran and Weiss, pleading with them to come with her into the city. When they accepted, she took them both by the hand, and nearly dragged them the entire way to the airship, almost vibrating with excitement. By the time they had reached the mall, Ruby's intended destination, both were just about keeled over, lungs burning as they gulped in as much air as they could manage.  
"Sorry, Weiss." Ruby cutely rapped the top of her own head with her knuckles, shooting Weiss a wink, "I'm just so excited! I haven't had any new materials to work with in  _sooo_ long. I can't wait to get into the lab…"  
Weiss rolled her eyes, snapping her fingers in front of Ruby's face, quickly causing the sparkles in her leader's eyes to disappear, "I know you're excited, Ruby. But while I did agree to help you on your project, I did not agree to be led by the hand through Vale, and at a dead sprint no less."  
"More importantly…" Farran tried to pound some feeling back into his bad knee, "Why the heck am I here? I get that you two had some kind of agreement, but I didn't agree to anything. Why was it so important for me to be here?"  
Ruby folded her hands behind her back, giving him the sweetest smile she could muster, "Because I was hoping you might be willing to help me pay for some of the materials I need to get?"  
Farran gave her a flat look, unimpressed, "Alright, look. I don't know where you're getting this idea from, but I am no-one's, and I mean no-one's, sugar daddy."  
"Daddy? Sugar?" Ruby tilted her head, "What does that-"  
"And besides," Farran continued, hoping to steer the conversation away from an awkward explanation, "I'm not sure if you remember, but I'm a little bit extremely broke right now!"  
"But don't you have a ton of money from… Uh…" She paused, looking around at all the people walking past them. She dropped her voice down to a low whisper, "from the other side?"  
"I have a little bit, yeah. But not that much." Farran stretched his back until he felt a small pop, "We only get a couple Lien whenever we beat one of them. Not like I'm raking it in or anything like that."  
"You know, I had been wondering how you suddenly managed to make enough money to start supporting yourself." Weiss mused, as the group moved inside, heading towards an isolated part of the mall's atrium, "I had figured that Professor Ozpin had probably just given you a stipend for any necessities until you were cleared to go on missions. It does make me wonder, just what are those things doing with Lien in the first place…"  
"Well, when we first started investigating Richards's Palace, Viola gave us a little explanation about it." Farran squeezed his eyes shut, trying to remember, "Something about how when we dispel the distortions around Shadows, they return to the physical form of those desires. And because money is such an important part in almost everyone's desires, that's the form it takes."  
"So greed really is that ingrained into our subconscious, then…" Weiss muttered darkly.  
"I wouldn't say it's greed, Weiss." Ruby quietly bounced on her heels, "If it was, we'd be getting a lot more money from the Shadows. Or none at all, possibly. Depends on what way you think about it. But if you ask me, the reason they drop Lien is because of what money really means to people. For most people, they care so much about taking care of themselves and the people they care about, and you need money in order to do that."  
"I suppose that does make some semblance of sense…" Weiss furrowed her brow, "You know, that's awfully philosophical for you, Ruby. No offense, of course."  
Ruby just shrugged, her smile never faltering, "I'm the leader, right? It's my job to think about stuff like that. Now come on! Let's get going before they sell out of all the stuff I'm going to need."  
Ruby started to skip off, but Weiss stood her ground, tapping her foot, "It's your job to think about those kinds of things, and yet have either of you considered that you're going around using what is essentially counterfeit currency?"  
Ruby and Farran froze, sharing a worried glance with one another. Farran slowly turned to Weiss, rubbing the back of his neck, "Well… We were just going to cross that bridge when we got to it?"  
It took a few minutes of the two of them trying to convince Weiss that the Lien they were using wasn't illegal before she would finally follow them further into the mall, even if she did look far less than convinced. With the heiress finally in tow, the group began meandering their way throughout the shopping center. When Ruby had first asked them to come with her, Farran had figured she was just planning on stopping at some weapons parts store to look at some upgrades for Crescent Rose. Yet, while they did end up stopping at one along the way, their trek ended up taking them all across the mall, to a whole variety of shops. Every so often, Ruby would sneak away from the group, only to come back a few minutes later, and offering no explanation other than a wink and a whispered, "It's a secret!" Eventually, after they had acquired a number of bags filled with the materials that Ruby and Weiss would need, the group went back the way they came, hopping on the first airship back to Beacon. Once they landed, Farran followed as the girls made a beeline to the training halls, heading to the back of the building into one of the many labs Professor Peach had set up for students to work on, maintain, upgrade, and experiment with their weapons, and more specifically, one which Ruby was sure their enigmatic professor had destroyed all of Richards security cameras in celebration the day he was fired. With their bags spread across the once empty desks that filled the room, Ruby and Weiss got to work.  
For as long as Farran had known Ruby, he had been aware that, despite her young age, she was already pretty well accomplished in terms of metalworking. After all, she had managed to build and maintain Crescent Rose, a weapon capable of being a fully functional, high-caliber sniper rifle even after being used to carve Grimm and Shadows apart as a scythe, and she had managed to make it entirely from scratch. Despite knowing that, he had never actually seen her display her prowess with metalworking, outside of her usual nightly maintenance of Crescent Rose. Sitting there in that lab, he found it to be quite the show, watching this girl who was nearly a foot shorter than he was, as well as two years his junior, take the materials she had bought and work with them, filing and soldering and welding them like a master weapon's smith. After a while, her creation began to take shape, as it began to resemble a tiny, mechanical heart, surrounded by spider webs of metal tubes that she would periodically fill with a stream of deep purple Dust.  
In the meantime, while Ruby was busy focusing on the more mechanical part of their project, Weiss figured it would be a good time to teach Farran the basics of infusing fabric with Dust, despite it not being a topic that they would cover in class for at least another year. Sitting in front of her was the second half of their project, a rather spacious messenger bag made of vibrant blue velvet, which Farran presumed was meant to house the contraption Ruby was busy working on. Weiss took a piece of heat resistant fabric, and spread it over top of the bag, measuring out the dimensions of its inside surfaces. Then, once everything was measured and the fabric was spread back out on the desk, she would pour tiny mounds of ice Dust all along its surface, before laying another sheet on top to form little, ravioli-shaped pockets, which she would secure in place by sewing them together tightly with a thread she had run through a container of the dust until it had turned sky blue. With every pass through the fabric, Weiss would let out a strained breath, the muscles in her arm tensing as the Dust began to glow slightly.  
Ruby pulled over the bag, fitting her device around it to see how well it would fit. As she turned the bag around in her hands, her thoughtful frown soon turned to a grimace, "Weiss, are you sure we shouldn't add metal plating to this? I would hate for us to go through all this work, just for the bag to be ripped up…"  
"Ruby, we've been over this." Weiss set the needle down. Despite the patience in her voice, it was obvious that her work was starting to tire her out, "Covering the bag with metal would require far more time and money. Besides, if your device works as well as you think it will, and knowing you and your penchant for this kind of work, it'll end up working far better, the gravity Dust should prevent anyone or anything from getting near it."  
"I suppose…" Ruby bit her lip, "Then, maybe I could extend the range of that the Dust will cover?"  
"You could, but that would create its own problems. Increasing the range would significantly the amount of wear on your mechanism, which would require more maintenance, and would most likely require a higher quality Dust than we have access to. Think the kind that airship manufacturers use. Even for me, getting Dust of that quality would prove- Ngh…" Weiss grimaced as her hand rushed to her forehead, "Difficult…"  
Farran put a careful hand on her shoulder, "Do you really need to channel so much of your aura when you're sewing?"  
"Yes, unfortunately." She waved him off, "Channeling my aura into the thread activates the Dust that covers it, and in doing so, will help activate the pockets of ice Dust inside the fabric. Of course, Ruby's device will help provide energy to them somewhat, but relying on it will just lead to those same problems. Providing a little aura at the start will help, but it's just…" She gritted her teeth, "proving to be a bit taxing. It doesn't help that I'm a bit out of practice…"  
"Weiss, you should have said something sooner!" Ruby started digging through one of her bags, pulling out a bar of dark chocolate, "Here. I know it's not much, but it's a trick my dad taught me and Yang when we first started using our aura. It should help make the headache go away at least."  
Farran watched as Weiss greedily snatched the bar, before turning back to Ruby with an amused look, "Chocolate, huh? Is that what you were being so secretive about earlier?"  
"Well, yes and no…" Ruby tapped the tips of her index fingers, bashfully, "It wasn't just chocolate… I also got some energy drinks, some soda, iced coffee, and-"  
"You can't be serious!" Weiss nearly choked, "Ruby, please do not tell me that we've been doing all this work, just so you can get your fix of sugar in that other world."  
"No, of course not." Ruby pouted, "Do you really think I'd do something like that? I just… I didn't know what else to do…"  
Farran raised an eyebrow, "About what?"  
"Well, I wanted it to be a surprise for the next time we went to the Metaverse, but I guess the cat's out of the bag now…" Ruby reached over and carefully laid the purchases from her secret shopping trips. Among them were a number of snacks and sweets including what she had mentioned, but also a number of various sports drinks and teas, and even a heaping amount of water bottles. On top of all that, she pulled out a pile of over-the-counter medicines, from very basic pain relievers to various herbal remedies and salves, "We can't afford to be as unprepared as we were the last time."  
Weiss scanned over the various items Ruby had laid out, "I'm not sure I understand… I mean, the medication I can see, but what do all those sweets have to do with preparing for fighting Shadows?"  
"Well… It's kind of hard to explain. I guess, when we summon our Personas and stuff like that, it seriously drains our energy. I think it's kinda like when you use your aura to cast spells, Weiss. After a couple of battles, that really adds up, especially with how much energy the Metaverse drains on its own. I wasn't kidding when I said I needed help getting up on my bed the other night, it was that bad. I know it isn't much, but anything that we can take with us to get our energy back up is pretty much essential." She gestured over to the medicine pile, "All this is kinda the same. Whenever we have our Personas use physical skills, like whenever Lupa swings her scythe or when Farran has Minotaur attack, it drains our strength. I can only do so much to keep everyone patched up with Lupa, and once my energy is gone, we have no other way to heal. I don't really have any way to get access to real painkillers, and I'm not sure I'd really want to go that far even if I did, so this is about the best I can do."  
"Wow…" Weiss bit her lip, "I didn't realize there was so much that went into it."  
"At first, I just assumed it would be like working out a muscle. It starts out weak, but the more you train, it'll get stronger." Ruby turned back to her project, carefully sizing up one of the metal pieces she was working on, "Which, I mean, we really have been. Lupa is tons stronger than when we started, and Pele and all of Farran's Personas are better too. But… I never thought we'd hit a point where the three of us would be too tapped out to do anything. That we'd never get to where we couldn't just force ourselves to get back up and fight. It's made me think about how we can make sure we never reach that point again. So much of what happened this weekend is my fault… I can't afford to keep making those mistakes."  
"How the hell do you figure that?" Farran furrowed his brow.  
"Farran, you and Yang should have never gone into the Metaverse alone, especially not after we had spent so much time and energy fighting in there the day before. It was my call, and… and I made the wrong one." She sighed, "I should have found some other way. If I did, Weiss wouldn't have gotten kidnapped, and-"  
"Yes you should have." Weiss huffed, "You should have come up with a plan that wouldn't have required splitting up your team, and sending a squad at half strength into an extremely dangerous situation. But…" With her nose still in the air, she peeked down at Ruby with a grin, "That is what you should have done if you were working with perfect conditions. As it was, however, you were working with an extremely stringent deadline, and there were things that no-one, not you or anyone else in your position, could have accounted for. Exactly how could you have possibly known that I was planning on finding out what you were hiding? All things considered, the three of you did a good job of hiding the existence of that world from me. And even if you had decided to regroup with us instead of continuing to look for Blake, I would have taken you into account when I made my move. I only acted how I did because I knew how Farran and Yang would react. No-one can fault you for your decision, Ruby. Least of all me. Honestly, if I were in your shoes, I highly doubt I could have made a better decision if I had twice the time you had to work with."  
Ruby blinked dumbly, "But-"  
"She's right, Ruby." Farran cut off her attempt to protest, "And more importantly, you shouldn't be second-guessing yourself. Everything ended up fine. We're all here, we're all ok, and we even have Blake as a new Persona user. If you keep going over the 'what ifs' and everything that could have gone wrong, it'll never end."  
"Guys, I…" She let out a small laugh, "I appreciate what you're trying to do. But I just can't let this all go. It's not just this past weekend, it's  _everything._  Weiss, you were talking about making us a schedule to make sure we have a balance for school and training and everything else, but as the leader, I should have done that from the get-go. I should have been more prepared…"  
"Maybe so, but at the same time, you shouldn't have to take care of everything on your own. After all, if you did, and there was nothing left for the rest of us to do, just how could I prove that I'm the best teammate and partner ever?" Weiss laid a hand on Ruby's shoulder, "You're doing fine, Ruby. You've only been our leader for a few months, and you've been going to that other world for even less than that, and yet you improve by leaps and bounds every day."  
"And besides, you're already learning from your mistakes, right?" Farran added, "That's what this whole project is for, isn't it? So that we're more prepared the next time we go to the other side."  
"That… That's true, yeah…" Ruby muttered.  
"Well, there you have it." Weiss beamed, "There's no reason for you to keep beating yourself up over what happened. Just keep on doing your best, and everything will be fine. And, should you ever miss or overlook something, don't forget that you always have us looking out for you as well."  
With a grin, Ruby set her device down and popped up from her seat, moving over to pull Farran and Weiss into a tight hug, "Thanks guys. I really appreciate it. I'll try to keep that in mind from now on." She let them go, giving the bag on the table a curious look, "You know… Metal plating might be out, but I wonder how hard it would be to add a gun to this."  
Ruby's latest idea earned a groan from Weiss, and soon the two started to debate the feasibility and necessity of turning their project into a full on weapon. Farran, meanwhile, decided it best to keep out of the argument, letting the two of them have their parley as they worked, while he set about cleaning up the remainders of the materials they no longer needed. Having no real experience with crafting weapons, he didn't really have an opinion one way or another. It made him consider asking Ruby to teach him some of what she knew, since it might come in handy if anything happened to Silverbreak.  _Ruby…_ He knew where she was coming from. Her decision had almost resulted in an absolute nightmare scenario for her. Yet here she was, shouldering her own self-blame, and using it to improve. It really took a level of maturity that, had you told him the small, bubbly girl that greeted him on his first day was capable of, he would have been completely blown away. Even now, after spending all this time with her, she still found new ways to go above and beyond his expectations. She may have her doubts, but for Farran, it was an absolute certainty that Ruby would become a fantastic leader for their team. He gave Weiss a look, the heiress still deep in debate with Ruby.  _Maybe I should give Weiss some Lien, and have her sneak it into Ruby's purse or something. If all this shit is going to help us in the Metaverse, then it makes sense that some of the funds I got from there goes to pay for it. I'd do it myself, but…_  He felt a shiver go down his spine as he thought of the possibility of any of his teammates finding him going through Ruby's stuff, regardless of his reasoning.  _Yeah, no. I don't have a death wish_ …

_Elsewhere, at Beacon:_

"Achoo!"

At that moment, Yang had just finished returning a row of chairs back to their spots under a line of desks she had just finished cleaning, when a heavy sneeze caught her off guard. She stumbled back up to her feet, feeling a pulse of anger, annoyance, and the unexplainable urge to hit something flash through her mind.

Blake looked up at her from under the desk she was cleaning on the other side of the room. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a bit of dust, that's all." Yang rubbed her nose, the corner of her mouth twitching slightly.

Blake stood up, pressing on the small of her back until she heard a small pop. "I'm gonna go open a window. It's a miracle the two of us are able to breathe in here at all…"

Yang just nodded, cracking her knuckles as she got back to work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long delay, but I'm baaaaaaack! :D


	23. Pre-Exam Stress

**May 1st:**

Under Pressure

"What… the absolute hell… were you two THINKING?!"

When they had last seen each other in Ozpin's office, Professor Goodwitch had made it perfectly clear that Farran was to arrive at her office no later than six o'clock, and yet, while he nervously shuffled down the hallway to get there, the sound of her thunderous voice reverberated off the walls, shaking the door to her office on its hinges. Curious, but still wary, he crept over to the door, making sure to duck under the window, trying in vain to listen to her conversation. The door would prove too thick for him to hear whoever was in the room with her, but Goodwitch's voice soon rang out again, slightly more composed this time.

"No, I'm fairly certain you don't understand," she hissed. "With more students from the other Academies arriving by the day, we are already limited when it comes to classroom space! But now… Now, we have to deal with the fact that an entire floor's worth of classrooms are buried underneath a solid wall of chalk dust! How the two of you even managed that goes beyond all logic and reason."

"Chalk dust?!" Farran muttered under his breath, thoroughly befuddled.

There was a brief pause as the other person evidently tried to plead their case, but Goodwitch soon cut them off, "Oh no. You are NOT pushing this all off on me. I'm already stuck with a mountain of work I have to do, which just got another heaping pile of paperwork thanks to you! No, you two will be overseeing and helping out Physical Plant while they clean up this mess. Do I make myself clear?" She paused, waiting for an answer, "Good. Now get going. Physical Plant should be arriving any minute now, and we need this taken care of tonight. You do not want to know what will happen if I have to make arrangements for classes to be moved if those rooms aren't usable by morning."

Whomever Goodwitch was talking to seemed to understand her chilling message, as two sets of footfalls hurriedly began to approach, forcing Farran to leap backwards to avoid being crushed against the wall by the slamming door. When he finally got his wits back about him, he saw, much to his surprise, Professor Port and Doctor Oobleck speedily walking in the opposite direction, unaware of his presence.

"I can understand that she's stressed, but she doesn't need to get so bent out of shape about all this…" Oobleck muttered, "She's downright terrifying when she gets that angry."

"You have no-one but yourself to blame." Port apprehensively stroked his mustache, "you're the whole reason we're in this mess."

"Hardly. I told you specifically not to use any kind of weaponry."

"You said that while brandishing that vacuum you engineered to spray dust!" Port growled incredulously.

"A vacuum cleaner hardly counts as a weapon, Peter. Especially compared to the devices you brought to the battle. Why, if we're going by true conventions of war, you would certainly be…" Oobleck's voice trailed off as the two rounded a corner.

Farran watched them go for a few moments, stunned into complete silence, until his dread-filled mind reminded him why he had come in the first place. He took a long, deep breath to steel himself, then briskly stepped into the office. Inside, Goodwitch was seated at her desk, her face buried wearily in her hands, some strands of her normally pristine hair left poking out from her tight bun. Sitting beside her was undeniable proof that her earlier comments were not exaggerated, as a veritable mountain of papers standing almost taller than her sitting height loomed high on her desk. Once she heard Farran enter, she reached down for her glasses and slid them gently back into place, giving him a blank look.

"What was…" Farran stopped himself, "I don't really want to know what that was all about, do I?"

"No, Mister Park. I believe you really don't." Goodwitch closed her eyes, gently rubbing her temples, "If I weren't in a position where I had to know, I'd gladly go without that knowledge myself. But that's my problem to deal with, not yours. Might I ask what brings you here?"

"Well, you told me to be here at six for my detention today, so…" He grimaced.

"Oh. Yes, that was today, wasn't it?" Goodwitch sighed. "Alright, Mister Park. I'll find you a seat, and you can sit in here and study for your exams, I guess…"

Farran blinked. "…That's it?"

Goodwitch pinched the bridge of her nose, "I already told you when you were first assigned to serve your punishment with me, Doctor Oobleck is the one who normally handles detention. I'm sure I could find you something else, but as you can quite clearly see…" She gestured towards the enormous stack of papers, nearly causing the entire heap to topple over, "I am quite busy with my own work at the moment. I'm not sure if this is what Ozpin had in mind when he decided I would be the one to handle this, but you know as well as I do that this whole punishment is a farce anyway."

"I mean, I'm sure as hell not gonna complain about getting off easy, but…" He kept a wary eye on the papers, "Isn't there anything I could do to help you with all that?"

"Are you seriously volunteering to help me with paperwork?" She raised an eyebrow, her lips curled in a faint frown.

"I don't see why not," he shrugged, "Honestly, if I'm going to be stuck here anyway, I'd rather my time be spent doing something useful."

Goodwitch frowned, "I certainly hope you are not implying that being prepared for your exams is useless, Mister Park."

"Ordinarily, I wouldn't say that at all. But at the same time, I've had Weiss beating me over the head with everything we've gone over in class for the past two weeks. We already had our study session today, and I swear if I don't get some kind of a break from it, my brain is going to explode," Farran said, "and I don't mean any offense, Professor, but you look like your brain might do the same if you're stuck doing much more work as it is. So seriously, are you sure there isn't something I could do to help?"

She paused for a moment, before letting out an amused chuckle, "You certainly are a strange young man, aren't you? Very well. There isn't much you can do with regards to the paperwork itself, but if you would be willing to help me with filing it all, it would be much appreciated."

With that, Goodwitch pulled a chair from a vacant classroom, and together, the two got down to work. While his part of the process didn't prove to be too difficult, it soon became extremely monotonous, and he could not believe how, or why, Goodwitch would have taken it all on herself. In fact, if it weren't for her nearly immaculate filing system, which he had no idea how in the world she managed to keep up with it if this kind of workload was anywhere near regular for her, he wouldn't have been able to make heads or tails of where any of it all went. Every time Farran looked back at the pile of papers, it didn't seem to shrink in the slightest, and, on a couple of worrying occasions, it even seemed to grow somewhat. Finally, after about an hour straight of working, they had finally managed to put a pretty sizable dent into the pile, when Goodwitch's scroll began to buzz.

"Well, Mister Park. I think that will be all for today." Goodwitch flipped open her scroll, eyes darting across the screen, "I should be able to handle the rest by myself."

"You sure?" Farran finished sliding one last form into its proper place, "There's nothing else you need me to do?"

"No, I can't be keeping you here any longer." She pulled off her glasses, reaching up to rub her eyes, "You've already done plenty. I accomplished far more tonight than I thought I was going to be able to. And, in any case, I think it would behoove me to not keep you from your studies any longer. Have a good night, Mister Park."

Knowing there was no point in debating with her, Farran bid Professor Goodwitch goodbye, and, after returning his chair to the empty classroom he had taken it from, began to navigate his way back out of the building. When he finally emerged from the front doors, he found that the sun had already begun setting, allowing the school grounds to cool off from the otherwise muggy, mid-spring day. He let his head lull back a bit as he started his trek back to the dorms, watching the cloudless sky and enjoying the cool breeze rolling by. However, he didn't make it far before he felt a tap on his shoulder, dragging him to a halt.

"Oi, buddy!" A woman's voice came from behind him, "You a student here?"

He spun on his heels to face the voice, finding that it belonged to a tall, blonde woman dressed from head to toe in a dark grey postal worker's uniform. In one arm, she carried one of the shipping containers frequently used by the staff, while her other hand was gripped tightly around her opened scroll. One of her two mouse ears that poked out from either side of her cap twitched anxiously as she sized him up.

"Uh… Yeah?" Farran had no idea what to make of this woman, "What's up?"

"Finally!" She groaned, clicking her scroll shut, and sliding it into her pocket, "See, I work in Beacon's mail room, right? I'm kinda new down there, an' all I do is sort the letters an' packages an' junk like that. Well, this here package got down to us late today, and by it got to us late, I mean it got lil' misplaced. So my genius of a boss sends me all the way up here, tellin' me to deliver the damn thing, on account of me bein' the one who misplaced it. Problem is, I got no idea where a damn thing is around this place, an' everyone I run into is from one of the other Academies. So tell me, d'ya know where a…" She looked over the shipping label, "Ms. Glynda Goodwitch's office is, so I can finally be rid of this thing?"

"Professor Goodwitch? Yeah, I just came from there, actually. You're gonna want to go in those doors, and…" Farran went over the directions through the labyrinth of hallways inside the building to get to her office, but before he could finish, the Faunus cut him off.

"Oi, oi, buddy! Ain't no way I can remember all that. Tell you what," She held the box out towards him. "You ain't got nothin' better to do, right? After all, you were just lollygaggin' out here, starin' at the sky an' all that. You know the way down there, so how's about you do me a favor an' run this over to her for me?"

"But-"

"Aww, it ain't no problem, bud!" She forced the package into his hands, "You don't even need to sign for it or nothin'! Just go on ahead, an' take that to your Professor, an' you can get right back to doin' nothin'. Thanks a million, buddy!"

Before he could retort, or do much of anything, the Faunus mail worker dashed off like a bat out of hell. He stared down at the shipping container in his hands with a grimace, "Heaven help me if I'm ever stuck forming a bond with  _that_  one… Let's just get this over with."

With a sigh, Farran retraced his steps back into the school, maneuvering through the halls to Goodwitch's office. The building had been empty for quite some time, and even the members of the maintenance staff that had quietly made their way about their duties when he had originally left were now absent. As he drew closer to the last corner before his destination, he heard the sounds of two voices; those of Professor Goodwitch and Professor Peach. Curious, and not wanting to interrupt them, he quietly flattened himself against the wall, listening in to their conversation.

"Come on, Glyn!" Peach whined. Farran could almost picture her pouting as she talked, "I'm not asking you to come out and get completely plastered. You've just been so stressed out lately. Why not just come for one little drink so you can relax and unwind?"

"I'm sorry, Momoko…" Goodwitch sounded completely drained, even more so than when Farran left. "Believe me, I would love to go with you for a quick drink or two. There's just still so much work I have to do…"

"So leave it. Oz can't expect you to get all of that done in one day, Glynda. It'll still be there tomorrow, and it'll get done when it gets done. And if he does have an issue, tell him to stick it where the sun don't shine, and he can do it himself. You haven't taken any time for yourself in months, Glyn…" She paused for a second, her voice dropping low, "Don't tell me you're planning on just sleeping here in your office again."

"Again?" Farran mouthed to himself, silently, "Is it really that common for her?"

"If it takes that long, then yes. I may not like it, but I can't leave until it's done." Goodwitch clicked her tongue, "And Ozpin has nothing to do with it. As a Professor and Deputy Headmistress of Beacon Academy, it is my duty."

"Glynda Goodwitch, I swear…" Professor Peach huffed, "One of these days, you are going to work yourself to death. I'm a professor too, and you don't see me burying myself in triple my bodyweight worth of paperwork."

"I'll be fine, Momoko, I promise. And while I may not be available for drinks tonight, perhaps once exams are finished and graded, you and I can have a night out on the town. How does that sound?"

There was a slight squeak as Peach spun on her heels, her voice almost singsong, "Just as long as you promise, I suppose I can forgive you."

"Good. Now then… Mister Park!" Goodwitch called out, making Farran jump, "I would assume you have some reason to be here?"

_Shit! How does she do that?!_ His cover blown, Farran slinked around the corner to find the two professors standing there, waiting for him. Professor Peach stared at him, her eyes full of contempt, as she tapped her foot impatiently.

"And just what do you think you're doing, eavesdropping on your professors?" She shot an accusatory finger at him.

"Hey, I wasn't eavesdropping!"  _Much…_ "I just didn't want to interrupt you two by butting in. That's all."

Goodwitch waved Peach's hand away. "In any event, I was under the impression you were leaving, Mister Park. What brings you back here? Did you forget something in my office?"

"Oh, sorry. No, some Faunus from the Academy's mail office stopped me on the way back to the dorms." He raised the box a bit, "She said she was trying to deliver this package to you, but then she just foisted it on me and ran off."

The moment she saw the container Farran was holding, Goodwitch's eyes shot wide open. She stood there, frozen, her hands trembling slightly. A deep blush started in her cheeks, spreading until her whole face was a shade of red that would rival Ruby's cloak. For the first time since he had met her, Goodwitch completely dropped any sense of composure and ripped the container from his hands.

"It wasn't supposed to come for two days…" Goodwitch muttered in a small voice, clutching the container tight. She glared at Farran, very clearly mortified about something. "Mister Park… Tell me you didn't look to see the contents of this package."

"No, of course not! I-"

"Thank you for delivering this to me, Mister Park. Now, I do believe it is time for you to go." She stood up stiffly, rambling words off at a Doctor Oobleck-esque pace, "Momoko, I deeply apologize, however I cannot come with you tonight. Now if that will be all, I must get back to work, IBIDYOUGOODNIGHTGOAWAYGOODBYE."

In the blink of an eye, Goodwitch turned into a blush-shaded blur, disappearing back into her office, slamming the door shut behind her. Before either Farran or Peach could react further, the unmistakable sound of the lock clicking came from the handle. Professor and student shared an equally bewildered glance at Goodwitch's extremely unusual behavior.

"What… What the hell was that all about?" Farran gaped at the door.

"Kid…" Peach just shook her head, "Believe me, I wish I knew. I got no idea what goes through that woman's head sometimes…"

Even after Professor Peach sulked away, most likely heading out to have her drink alone, Farran stood there in the hallway, head tilted and a dopey look on his face. Before today, he hadn't really ever spent much time one-on-one with Goodwitch. The only times he'd really seen her outside of classes were the few meetings he'd had with Ozpin, and in all of those occasions, she'd always appeared as his poised, beleaguered, stern but fair assistant. But now… Even if she always seemed to have a bit too much on her plate, Farran never would have pegged Goodwitch as the type to bury herself in so much work that one of her friends and coworkers would be worried about her health, or enough that she would have to stay overnight in her office to get it done, had he not been right beside her as she struggled through that pile of papers. Not to mention, her absolutely bizarre reaction to the package Farran had given her. He shook his head, turning to leave and finally head back to the dorm, but as he did so, he could feel the world freeze around him, as a voice in his mind began to ring out.

_"I am thou, thou art I…_  
Thou hast acquired a new vow.  
It shall become a Beacon in the darkness  
to lead you down the path to your own justice.  
With the birth of the Temperance Persona,  
You have obtained unforeseen power  
that will allow you to remake your Fate anew."

**May 2nd:**

Galão (Moon II)

"Thank you so much for helping out on such short notice, Farran." Velvet said, blowing on a piece of steamed broccoli, "You were a really big help tonight."

Farran and the members of Team CFVY sat around a small table in the apartment Coco used for her photoshoots, quietly munching away at the small containers of Mistrali food they ordered. After classes had let out for the day, Velvet tracked down Farran as he made his way back to the dorm to ask him to help with their photoshoot. Unlike the last time, where Coco actually needed him as a model, this shoot was simply for a number of glamour shots, as Coco planned on modeling a number of items from her mother's upcoming line to generate a bit of hype around it. Instead, they needed Farran as an extra hand to adjust the lighting and set pieces, and sometimes helping Velvet get into position so she could get some different angles, all of which he was more than happy to help with.

"No problem." Farran plucked a piece of chicken from his own meal, "It's been a while since I had the chance to hang with you guys."

"I just wish I had thought of this much sooner!" Coco pressed her wrist against her forehead, leaning back dramatically, "I would have asked mother to send some of her male line along for you as well. Heaven knows my female followers certainly appreciated your appearance in our last series. Although, I still think we could have sold a lot more…"

Fox rolled his eyes, "Coco, behave."

"But did they sell alright, at least?"

"Oh yes, of course they did, hun. My shoots always sell well, and this one was no exception. Relatively speaking, of course. It's not like we get the kind of numbers that your typical fashion magazine would. Just a few of my loyal fans providing me some supplementary income for various odds and ends, and some extra coffee." She shot Farran a wink, "And thanks to you, I was even able to go for an extra shot of espresso. Now, maybe next time, if we work in some more sex appeal to your outfits, we could-"

"Yeah, sorry. Gonna have to take a hard pass on that one."

"And you wonder why you can't get anyone to model with you." Fox snarked, "You seriously sound like a creepy old man."

"Well, excuuuuse me for wanting to bring in an untapped demographic!" Coco huffed, "Besides, I shouldn't have to go looking so hard. You two are my teammates, aren't you? You're supposed to be helping me out here!"

"Not happening, Coco."

"You always seem to forget that your mother's company does not make big and tall men's clothing." Yatsuhashi slowly lowered his bowl of udon noodles, "You cannot seriously act like I am at fault, when I'm physically incapable of modeling with you."

"Aww, I'm sorry big guy! I'll tell you what, after exams are over, we'll get working on a costume for you. What do you say?"

"No."

"Traitors, the lot of you!" Coco blustered. "Fine. In that case, after exams are done, you all owe me fifty laps around the school, in your underwear, for making me feel bad!"

"Speaking of exams, how's studying going for you, Velvet?" Farran felt his eye twitch at the very mention of the upcoming tests. "You think you're gonna be ready?"

Velvet let out a quiet, nervous laugh, "Well… Honestly, I'm still a little nervous, but everyone's been a big help with studying so far. I should be fine." She turned away, muttering in an almost inaudible voice, "I hope…"

"You're taking both first and second year exams this year, right? How is that supposed to work if you have two different ones scheduled for the same time?"

"Yes, I am. I talked with Professor Goodwitch about it a few weeks ago. She told me that there are a few I'm going to have to take after I'm done for the day, which she'll be the proctor for." She let out an apprehensive sigh, "I'm just glad I've only got one scheduled for Friday…"

_Does Goodwitch ever take a freaking break?!_  "I see… Man, that sucks…"

"You have nothing to worry about, hun." Coco cooed. "My dear Honey Bunny will be just fine. The question is, however, how are your studies coming? You know, if you need any 'tutoring', you need only ask. I couldn't just let an underclassman of mine struggle without offering a good helping hand."

Fox just gave her a flat look, "I will never understand why you choose to phrase everything in the creepiest way possible."

"I think I'll be alright, Coco. As long as my bum knee holds up, I shouldn't have much trouble with the physical or combat exams." He tapped his knee for emphasis, "And about the only thing Weiss hasn't done to help me study is straight up embed my textbooks in my head."

"Slave driver, huh? Trust me, I know the feeling." Fox said between mouthfuls of rice, "At least yours doesn't have you going on missions the week before exams."

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Coco grumbled, "I was under the impression you wanted to go on more missions, considering you were the one bitching up a storm about being cooped up in the dorm for so long before we got Velvet."

Farran blinked in surprise, "You guys are still going on missions, even though we're this close to exams?"

"We went on one mission, yes." Yatsuhashi took a long sip of his tea, "Coco decided it was for the best for us to take one last mission last weekend, before we had to focus on exams. I know it wasn't exactly ideal, however after as long of a layoff as we had, we have to make sure we stay in the best possible shape."

"The extra Lien didn't hurt either…" Velvet said, quietly, "I even got enough to buy a new lens for my camera."

"And, might I add, any experience we can get for Velvet out in the field is a big plus." Coco's face lit up, as she clapped Velvet on the shoulder, "After all, if we didn't go on this mission, then she wouldn't have gotten her first kills, now would she?"

"Wait, you got your first kill, Velvet?!" Farran blurted excitedly, "That's awesome!"

Velvet laughed nervously, "Well, it wasn't my first, per se… I had a few when I was still in primary combat school. And it's not like the ones I got were all that impressive anyways."

"Nonsense!" Coco gasped, "Velvet, you really shouldn't be so modest. Honestly, I think that Creep would have had my hide if you hadn't put a few bullets in the back of its head."

Farran leaned forward, "So, what were you guys doing, if you don't mind me asking?"

"It wasn't anything all that special or heroic, since I wanted something we could do in a day. So, we ended up taking on a job to clear out an outpost owned by the Carrara Mining Company." Out of the corner of his eye, Farran noticed Velvet's face scrunch up a bit as Coco said the name 'Carrara'. "The place was supposed to be where their trucks can get maintenance and fuel on their way in and out of town, but it had gone dark a little while ago. Before they could figure out what was going on, a pack of Creeps that had broken off from the main group in Mountain Glenn took over, so that's where we came in. We broke off into two teams to start clearing out the buildings, Fox with Yatsu, and Velvet with me. While we were clearing the mess hall, one of the bastards had managed to get up into the rafters and got the drop on me, but before it could really do anything to me, Velvet plugged its head full of bullets."

"It was just luck, really." Velvet's lips curled into a meek smile, "It dropped in between Coco and I, and I just happened to have the perfect shot on it."

Coco shrugged, "You call it luck, I call it instinct. Either way, it doesn't really matter. You saved my ass, Velvet."

"I wonder what happened for it to go dark in the first place…" Farran mused, "I mean, I'm no expert, but shouldn't places like that be really heavily guarded against Grimm attacks? Doesn't sound like the kind of place just a few Creeps could take over on their own."

"Ordinarily, you would be correct. Even more so, because the Carrara Mining Company is a subsidiary of the SDC, and they have been making major increases to their security all along the process of mining and refining Dust." Yatsuhashi said, "However, there was speculation among our employers that it had been targeted by a White Fang raid. We found signs that someone had been there prior to the Grimm's arrival, however whether they were White Fang or just a group of bandits, it's impossible to say."

"The White Fang, huh…?" Farran muttered darkly.

"Still, can't really blame them for thinking it was the Fang." Fox shook his head. "They've been really doubling down lately on going after every speck of Dust they can get their hands on. Like that whole raid on the Vale docks last weekend. Trying to steal a whole shipment of Dust in plain sight. It's crazy…"

"Yeah…"

"Farran? Are you ok?" Velvet laid her hand on top of his, "You're shaking."

He hadn't even realized it, but when he looked down at his hand, he noticed that they were shaking, just as she said. It took him a moment to steel himself, but he finally managed to brush it off. "Yeah. I'm fine. Hey Guys… Would it be alright if I asked you all a favor?"

The members of Team CFVY shared a brief, confused glance with one another, before Coco responded. "Uh… Sure, Farran. What's up?"

He took a long, deep breath, before looking up at them with a bold fire in his eyes, "I want you guys to train me how to fight."

There was a long, still silence as the five of them sat there, no-one really sure what to say. After a while, Velvet finally managed to get her wits about her. "I'm not sure… Farran, what are you-"

"Have you guys ever heard of Roman Torchwick?" He grimaced.

"Roman Torchwick…?" Coco chewed her lip, "I think that name sounds familiar… Might have seen in in the paper a while ago… Doesn't he run a gang somewhere here in Vale or something?"

Farran nodded, "Exactly, but more importantly… He was down at the docks with the White Fang this weekend. I don't really know how or why, since he's a human and all, but he was the one calling the shots."

Yatsuhashi stared at him, "A human leading the White Fang? I'm not saying you're lying, but how would you even know about that, Farran? Wait… Don't tell me you were-"

"One of my teammates was the one who originally found them in the middle of their operation, almost on accident. The rest of us came running when the fighting started."

"Wha- Are you serious?" Fox stammered, "Farran, that's amazing. But, if you were part of the group that stopped those guys from the White Fang, why are you asking us for help?"

"I was there, but I didn't really do much. Blake, a guy from Haven that was with her, and this other girl from Atlas did most of the heavy lifting. But me… I ended up fighting against Torchwick. No… I can't even say it was a fight. It was a slaughter. Torchwick just toyed with me until he got bored, then he destroyed me. He could have easily killed me too, if he wanted." He gritted his teeth, the words tasting like ash as they came out. He hated admitting just how bad Torchwick managed to beat him. He felt similar about the fight against the cognitive version of Adam, but at least he could find solace that Blake's cognition had made it unbeatable. Over the past week, he had watched his teammates take strides to improve themselves, all except him.

"Farran, I can appreciate where you're coming from, but you're just a freshman." Coco frowned, "You don't need to take it so hard that you were outmatched by a career criminal. Besides, you have four years to get stronger."

"That isn't what this is about… If it was just the fact that I got beat, that would be one thing, but that isn't why I care so much. Hell, I probably wouldn't have any pride left, considering Pyrrha routinely kicks my ass whenever we're paired up together in combat class. It's just that…" He sighed, "Do you guys remember what Richards said about me on the day he threatened to expel me?"

Fox squeezed his eyes shut, "You mean about how you were thrown off an apartment building?"

"Right… See, the thing is, I can't remember a damn thing about my life before I woke up in the hospital. Who I am, where I'm from, whether or not I have a home or family to go back to. To make things worse, there's no record of me ever existing that the police, or even Ozpin, could find. There were no clues or leads to help me find out about my old life… Until now."

"…Torchwick." Yatsuhashi stated simply.

"Yes. At least, that's the way he was acting. He talked like he used to know me, and more importantly, he said he knew the guy that tried to kill me." Farran balled up his fists. "When I told Ozpin about all this, he told me not to go after him. I get where he's coming from, but I can't just let this go! I might not get another lead like this ever again… If the Academy isn't going to give me any help, then I'm going to have to do it myself. Training with Pyrrha and everyone else in my year helps, but you guys have actual experience out in the field. So… what do you say?"

"I…" Coco hesitated, pain evident in her face, "I don't think that's a good idea, Farran. I'm sorry, but I think you should listen to Ozpin."

Fox scowled at her, "Are you kidding me, Coco? Why in the world wouldn't we help him?"

"Look, I never said we wouldn't help train the kid." She held up a hand to stop him, "Farran, I can understand why this is so important to you. If I were in your situation, I don't know if I would have even gone to Ozpin about it. I might have just chased after the bastard to begin with. But at the same time, you need to realize exactly what you're dealing with here. You said it yourself, the guy could have killed you if he wanted. Even if you train with us, it's going to take a while. You're not going to be on his level after just a few weeks. Hell, it'll probably take months, maybe even longer. So, if you want to train with us, you're more than welcome to, but I want you to promise me that you will not go after him."

"Coco, I-"

"Farran." She cut him off before he could protest. "Promise me."

Farran didn't want to do anything of the sort, but Coco held her fierce gaze on him, letting him know there was no room for debate on the matter. Either he made her a promise, or she wouldn't allow him to train with them. "Fine… I promise."

"Good." Coco perked right back up, scrambling up to her feet, "Right then. I think it's about time we finish up for the night. Velvet, you still up for helping me touch up those pics?"

Velvet nodded, and the group began to get up to clean up the remnants of their meal. Coco and Velvet headed to the apartment's other room to begin putting the last finishing touches on their photographs, prompting Farran to bid the group goodbye for the evening. The walk back to the airfield left Farran feeling a mix of emotions. On the one hand, he felt bitter at Coco. Even though he had explained why he needed to go after Torchwick, why it was so important to him, she still had the gall to make him promise that he wouldn't go after him. However, at the same time, any feelings of resentment that he had were fleeting. Despite just how intense Coco's gaze was while she stared him down, there was something else there, feelings of sadness, worry, and even regret, that made it hard for Farran to be angry at her. Farran wasn't the type of person to break a promise after he'd made it, but even if he was, that look in her eye was enough to stop him. Something had happened to her in the past, something that had resurfaced when he talked about pursuing Torchwick, and the last thing he wanted to do was drag up those feelings again, for Coco or anyone else.

**May 3rd:**

Sahasrara

Despite the fact that he would always be grateful to be forever rid of the hospital bed in which he had spent the first ten days of his new life, there were still times that Farran could feel nothing but hate for his bedroll in Team RWBY's dorm room. One pre-exam anxiety-induced nightmare was all it took to force him awake before the crack of dawn, but it was his bedroll, providing minimal separation from the floor below, that ensured he was just uncomfortable enough for him to not be able to roll back over and go to sleep. He lay there, glaring as small streaks of sunlight began to crack through the inky night sky, listening to the gentle sounds of his teammates sleeping. Finally, after the clock on his scroll ticked over to 6 a.m., Farran gave up on the idea of falling back to sleep, and quietly made his way to his feet. Making sure to keep quiet as he meandered about the room, Farran got himself ready and ducked outside.

This early in the morning, Beacon's campus proved to be very little more than a ghost town, as no-one but the earliest of early risers milled about the campus greens, and the only sound to be heard were the faint chirping of faraway birds. With nothing better to do, and considering the dining hall would not be open for quite some time, Farran decided to take a walk around the campus gardens, hoping some exercise in the crisp spring air would be enough to wake him up for the day, or at least allow him to fall back asleep when he returned. The wind rustling through the trees and flowerbeds mixed well with the sound of the winding gravel footpaths crunching beneath his feet in a relaxing duet, and soon the pre-exam anxiety that had been haunting Farran since he awoke drifted away.

After quite some time, the path led him to a tiny alcove in between the flowerbeds that held an interesting sight. Lie Ren, the always stoic member of Team JNPR, sat cross-legged in the grass, his hands gently folded atop of one another. To Farran, the serene scene before him seemed as if it had been torn straight out of a stereotypical children's movie; the only thing missing from the whole thing being a menagerie of woodland animals surrounding him. Farran turned to leave, not wanting to interrupt Ren's meditation, but was stopped before he could move a muscle.

"Good morning, Farran." Ren remained completely still as he spoke, his eyes still shut, "You're up awfully early today."

Farran nearly leapt out of his skin at the sound of Ren's voice, "Uh... Morning, Ren. Yeah, I woke up early, couldn't go back to sleep. Sorry if I disturbed you."

"Nothing to worry about." He chuckled, "I'm Nora's partner, after all. I've grown used to it by now. I take it you're nervous about the upcoming exams, then?"

_Is this guy a mind reader or something?_  "…Yeah, actually. How did you-"

"Nothing that special, I assure you." Ren smirked, one of his eyes lazily drifting open, "It's just been a common theme around campus for the past week. The air has been heavy with everyone's building anxiety, and it's gotten worse every day. So for someone who isn't much of a morning person, from what I've noticed at least, to be up wandering the gardens so early in the morning, it isn't that big of an assumption to make." He patted the grass next to him. "Come, sit. A little relaxation here where it's peaceful will help calm you down, and I certainly won't mind the company."

"Ok…" Farran did as he said, plopping down next to Ren and mimicking his pose, "So, is that why you're out here meditating? Because you're nervous about the exams?"

"Not really, no. I've spent plenty of time going over the materials for the past few weeks, and there's still today and tomorrow left to study. I suppose the way I see it, I've done the best I can to prepare. There's no point in worrying now."

"I suppose that's true…" Farran muttered, "But then what brings you out here so early?"

Ren leaned back, staring at the now golden sky, "Oh, I've always been a morning person. I grew up in a town outside of the Kingdoms, you see. One of my favorite things when I was young was to watch as the local hunters as they left every morning." He smiled nostalgically, "Now, I'm left with that old habit, but with nothing to do this early besides meditating for a while before I make some pancakes for Nora before she wakes up."

"She has you make her pancakes every morning?" Farran raised an eyebrow, barely resisting the urge to make a whipping sound.

"I've known Nora for quite some time now, so it's rather easy for me to tell when she is depressed or anxious. It isn't much, but my pancakes always seem to cheer her up, so while it may not be a daily thing, especially now that we have access to Beacon's dining hall instead of having to feed ourselves, I'm more than glad to make them when the need arises." He grimaced, "At least, it's a lot less destructive than how she used to cope…"

Farran felt a chill run down his spine. "That's a little foreboding… Dare I ask what she used to do?"

"She had a bad habit of cheering herself up with the adrenaline she got after shocking herself." Ren said flatly, sounding like a long-beleaguered parent.

"…What?"

"Sticking forks in light sockets, grabbing hold of exposed wires, you name it." He smiled weakly, "I had to put a stop to it after I caught her trying to sneak a toaster in with her to the bathroom. Probably would have blown the breaker in the whole building if I didn't catch her."

"Or, you know, she probably would have died!" Farran stammered incredulously.

"Don't worry, Farran. I know exactly how it sounds. Anyone else, and I probably would have agreed with you, but not Nora." Ren said, "Her Semblance allows her to absorb electricity, and use it to energize herself. Hence why she would use it to cheer herself up. However, it doesn't do much to protect anything else around her, which is why it's up to me to stop her habit from causing a Kingdom-wide power outage. When you think about it, having to make pancakes every so often isn't so bad in comparison."

Farran let out a deep breath, "Damn, man… You know, it almost sounds more like you guys are family, not teammates."

"I can see where you're coming from, but I don't know if I'd go that far. Nora and I… I'm the only one she has to rely on, and vice versa as well."

"What do you mean?"

"It's a long story, and not one I wish to bother you with at the moment." Ren stood up, stretching out his back. "In any case, I believe it's about time I got back and started Nora's pancakes. Would you care to join me? Word through the grapevine says you've been learning how to cook from Yang lately. I would greatly appreciate your help if you are willing."

While he wanted to object and say it would be no trouble, there was an unexpected coldness in Ren's voice, and even without having formed a bond, Farran could tell it was best not to pry. Instead, he just nodded, and the two began to make their way back to the dorms, making small talk as they walked. Once they had arrived at the kitchenette, the two began to busy themselves with preparing everything for Ren's recipe for pancakes. However, it seemed that with every step, someone else from their dorm would enter and approach Ren, whisper something to him, hand over stacks of Lien, and leave. The whole display made Farran extremely confused and curious, but given that he still didn't know Ren all that well, he didn't want to pry into his business. That is, until he heard one of these newcomers whisper something that sounded like "Weiss" before handing over a thick bundle of cash. Once he had left, Farran had had enough, and knew he had to speak up.

"Alright, alright, stop!" Farran stopped Ren as he was about to dip a scoop into the pancake batter, "What the hell are you doing?"

Ren blinked, "What? I'm just going to start cooking them. If I stir them any more, they'll start to develop gluten, which makes the pancakes tougher. Nobody likes tough pancakes, Farran."

"No, not that! What the hell have you been whispering about with damn near every person that's come through here? You can't just be pocketing all this cash and not expect me to ask what it's about."

Ren paused for a moment before a lightbulb went off in his head. "Oh, that's right. I forgot you wouldn't know about it. I'm sorry, Farran. This…" He reached inside his tailcoat, producing a rather thick pocket notebook. Farran couldn't quite place why, but it seemed to give off a very official and awe-inspiring aura. "This is the Book of Beacon."

"What's it for?" Farran gawked at its black leather bindings.

"I'm sure you've probably realized that most people we go to school with are a little more than ultra-competitive. It doesn't take much for people at the Academies to start debating who is faster, stronger, better…" He set the book down on the counter, flipping it open. The pages seemed to all be covered with lists of names, numbers and ratios, among other things. "That kind of environment makes bets and gambling all the more popular, and anyone can make quite a bit of Lien organizing things, if they know what they're doing."

"So you're a bookie?" Farran eyed him curiously, "Can't say I expected that. No offense, but you really don't seem like the type to be into that kind of thing."

Ren chuckled, "Don't worry, I can hardly blame you. In all honesty, I'm not even particularly fond of gambling."

"Alright, now you lost me." Farran furrowed his brow, "You don't like gambling, yet you decided to start up an on-campus betting ring?"

"Pretty much." Ren shrugged, "How do I put this… Before Nora and I enrolled into a primary combat school, the two of us were forced to travel for quite some time. Outside the Kingdoms, the most affordable lodging you can find are at inns that attract a certain type of people. It was at one of these inns that I learned how to make competitive, yet still fair, odds, and more importantly, just how much money you can make. I used that knowledge to help the two of us get by."

"So why do you keep doing it now? We have the dorms and the dining hall on campus, and we're going to be cleared to start doing missions next semester."

"I can't really go into much detail, but I need a lot of Lien… More than I can get by taking the missions we'll be cleared to do while we're still students, at any rate."

"Geez, man. How much cash do you need?!" Farran flinched.

Ren clapped both hands on his shoulders, dropping his voice low. "Trust me, Farran. You don't want to know."

"Yikes..." Farran winced, watching as Ren turned and poured a generous glob of pancake batter on the skillet, "So, what were those guys betting on? It sounded like one of 'em said 'Weiss', but I wasn't quite sure.

"You heard correctly. As I'm sure you can imagine, betting on who will get the top exam scores is particularly popular right about now." Ren flipped through his book, making marks next to various names. "Weiss, unsurprisingly, is the odds-on favourite to get the top score. Even if she does horribly on the physical portions of the exams, there is no doubt in anyone's mind that she will flourish during the written test. Then you have Pyrrha as a rather close second, and so on."

"Dare I ask where I rank?" Farran grimaced.

"Oh, pretty much right in the middle. You're a relative unknown to most still, so nobody really knows how to feel."

"Ngh! …Well, at least I'm not last… Wait, hang on. What's-" Farran almost immediately stopped his lamenting, plunging his finger into the pocketbook to stop Ren from turning the page. His finger came to rest just below where Ren had written, "Jaune – Pyrrha", on a page labeled "Relationships".

He turned to Ren, giving him a flat look. "Dude… Don't tell me you're serious."

Ren put his hands up defensively, laughing nervously. "Like I said, people here like to bet on anything. The betting pools for relationships among students are much bigger than you might think. Pyrrha and Jaune extremely so."

"But they're your teammates." Farran shook his head incredulously, "Are you really ok with taking bets on if two members of your team are going to hook up?"

"Yes, they are my teammates. But because of that, I am stuck dealing with them on a daily basis. On top of that, Nora is adamant about helping to make it happen, which means I am always dragged into their nonsense. You've spent enough time with them to know how it is. It's madness!"

Ren seemed to realize that he was starting to raise his voice, however slightly above his usual calm tone. He cleared his throat, turning back to the skillet, and flipped over the now slightly more than golden brown pancakes over. "All I am saying is that everyone can see there's something there, except the two of them. Pyrrha loves Jaune, Jaune admires Pyrrha. All it takes is one word from either of them. As long as people want to bet on how long that takes, I'm going to oblige, and hopefully be compensated for it all."

Farran thought back to the day he had forged his bond with Pyrrha, and how asinine of a plan she had concocted that day. Gotta believe that dealing with all that day in and day out has to be grating as hell… Whether from being forced awake or from this unbelievably bizarre conversation, Farran could never tell, but he suddenly felt very tired.

"Well, I suppose I can't blame you there. Those two really are out of their depth…" He stifled a yawn, "Alright, man. I'm gonna head back, try to catch a few 'z's' before the girls decide they're gonna get up. But before I go, do me a favor, yeah?"

"Hmm? Yeah, sure."

Farran dug through his pockets, and pulled out a few Lien. "Put me down for twenty that she jumps him before the end of next semester."

Ren took the money with a sly grin, marking Farran down in his book as the two bade each other farewell. By the time Farran reached the dorm room, the morning sunshine was already pouring in through the window, illuminating the forms of his still sleeping teammates. He carefully crept his way back to his bedroll, collapsing on top of it with a soft thud once he got within distance. The past hour or so since he had woken up felt like an absurd, surreal blur. He had gathered that Ren was a good guy from his limited interactions with him before, and it proved to be true today. It was rather endearing that he was willing to make pancakes for his longtime friend, just because she was having pre-exam jitters. At the same time, he was blown away that someone so languid was capable of coming up an idea that was so… ludicrous? Goofy? Farran wasn't even sure what the right word to describe it. The longer he lay there thinking about it, the heavier his eyelids became, but before he drifted off to sleep, he could hear a voice ring out in the otherwise silent room.

_"I am thou, thou art I…_  
Thou hast acquired a new vow.  
It shall become a Beacon in the darkness  
to lead you down the path to your own justice.  
With the birth of the Emperor Persona,  
You have obtained unforeseen power  
that will allow you to remake your Fate anew."

**May 4th:**

I Need To Focus (Chariot V)

The dusk of early evening had already started to be cast across Beacon Academy, and with it, an uneasy silence began to spread across the campus. It was the last day before midterm exams were set to start, and for most, it was the last chance to cram in any last minute studying and review. Given those circumstances, it was odd that most of the members of Team RWBY decided to go against the status quo, instead choosing to use this time to run a few errands. Ruby and Blake had left to take care of some business on campus, while Farran had left quite some time ago to pick up some things from a convenience store nearby the airstrip in Vale. Despite her usual mantra of putting her studies above everything else, Weiss decided to go along with him. However, she was still not one to waste her time, and so the two spent the entirety of the trip to the store and back quizzing each other on the material.

"What size herds do Goliaths normally travel in?" Farran shifted all the bags he had been carrying over to his left hand, using his now free hand to pop open the door to the dorm room.  
Weiss closed her eyes, her head drifting back slightly as she seemingly mulled over the question.

"Hmm… On average, a herd will contain twenty to thirty Goliaths. However, some cases in the Great Sanus Migration have been observed to have upwards of five hundred. Now for you… How much Aura do you need to expend to activate a gram of Dust?"

They stepped inside, and Farran set the bags he had been carrying down on one of their desks. "Depends. What quality of Dust are you using?"

Weiss did the same with hers. "Always assume perfect quality unless they state otherwise, Farran."

"Alright, in that case…" He paused, trying to call the information from the depths of his mind, "If you're using a more volatile type, like fire or lightning Dust, you'd need to use twenty kilojoules worth of energy. For a more stable kind like earth Dust, it takes eighty kilojoules to activate it."

"Correct! Very good, Farran. I must say, you are learning the material at such a satisfactory rate. Wait a second…" She scanned the otherwise vacant dorm room, "Where's Yang?"

Farran shrugged, "I dunno. I thought she said she was gonna stay here and study. Maybe she got bored and went to go do something else?"

"I certainly hope not. Exams start tomorrow! If she expects to come anywhere near to accomplishing her goal, she better not be goofing off just because she got a little bored."  
There was the sound of rushed footsteps out in the hallway, before suddenly, the door to the room was forcefully kicked open. As if on cue, Yang came strolling through the door, grinning from ear to ear, almost bouncing with Ruby-like excitement as she carried a package that looked almost half as tall as she was.

"It's here!" She tittered, making a beeline for her bed, "It's here, it's here, it's finally freaking here!"  
"Yang! Would you please not do that to our door? The last thing we need is having to explain to Professor Goodwitch that we need it to be replaced. Again." Weiss tapped her foot impatiently, "And more importantly, where have you been? You told us you were going to be studying while we were gone."

"I know, Weiss, I know. But I can't help it!" Yang continued to beam, not allowing Weiss's demeanor to dampen her spirits, "It's finally here!"

"What is here, Yang?"

"My guitar!" She carefully laid her package down on her bed, kneeling down beside it. With almost childlike glee, she tore the package apart to reveal an acoustic guitar made of beautifully polished rosewood, steel strings that glinted like silver running its length. "I almost forgot all about it until I got a notification from the mail room that it got delivered today." Yang reached in and delicately lifted the guitar out, throwing the box off her bed. She plopped down on her bed, cradling the guitar in her arms, looking at it as if it were her newborn baby. A moment passed, and she looked up at Farran expectantly, a cat-like grin crossing her lips. "So, how do I play it?"

"Well, you have to tune it first." He sighed, "Here, let me see it."

Yang looked reluctant to hand over her guitar, but in the end she did as he asked. Farran pulled up a chair, and sat down, getting a good feel for the guitar as he tuned it, plucking the strings and gently turning the tuning keys until each note sounded just right. He couldn't quite explain why, but having a guitar in his hands made a wave of nostalgia wash over him. He strummed a few chords, trying to pull any song from his lost memories that he could play, but nothing came. However, he did remember a song that he had heard much more recently, one that always seemed to play whenever Team JNPR was around.

"We'll swim through lakes and climb up trees, catch fish, bugs, bears, and honey bees. There's endless possibilities, and no, that's not hyperbole! Our motto's Campe Diem, and that means I'm telling yooooouuuuuu! We've got-" There was a clang as the guitar was forcibly ripped from his hands. "Wha-HEY!"

Yang glowered at him, hugging her guitar as if he had harmed it in some way. "Hero, I swear to God. You try playing that on my baby again, and I will end you."

"I have to agree, Farran." Weiss winced, rubbing her temples, "It's bad enough that Jaune insists on using such a maddening song as his ringtone AND his alarm. I would prefer it if I wouldn't have to worry about hearing it when he isn't even around. In any event, I wasn't aware you even watched the show it came from, let alone enough that you would try to learn how to play it."

"Honestly, I've never actually seen the show." Farran said, "I've just heard it enough of the song from whenever he's around that I kind of picked up how to play it."

"Oh, so you're saying you can play music by ear." Weiss put on an obviously forced smile, as the corner of her mouth started twitching. "Isn't that just lovely…"

Yang folded her arms, "Is it really that rare for someone to someone to learn how to play songs by listening to them?"

"Not rare, no. In fact, before sheet music became popularized, that was the only way for people to learn how to play new songs. However, it does take quite a bit of study and practice to master it. It took a few years for me to be able to do it. So for Farran to just happen to be able to do it out of nowhere is rather…" Weiss let out a deep sigh, "Loathsome, I suppose."

Farran just shrugged, "Hey, it ain't my fault. It's like when I realized I knew how to play the guitar in the first place; I don't know how I'm able to do it, I just am. If you want to blame anyone, blame the past me. I didn't get to choose what I'm good at, so I'm just rolling with it."

"Oh, I'm well aware it isn't your fault. And yet, if I ever did get the chance to meet your past self, I'd be sure to give him a piece of my mind for making you the absolutely vexing enigma that you are today." She pinched the bridge of her nose, "What kind of a person you must have been to be so skilled in some areas, yet so lacking in others that are much more common, is completely beyond me."

"Ah, don't let this dork get you upset, Weiss! I got something that will cheer you right up…" Yang pulled out her scroll, fiddling with it. "I finally got that playlist I was working on for you all finished up today. Again, I know you probably won't like everything on here, but at least it'll give you a taste of other kinds of music. There's pop, rock, ska, metal, rap, dubstep… I think about the only thing I didn't fit on here is country, but I've never been too big on it anyways. Here, I'll send it over to you."

"Oh, I'd almost forgotten! Thank you, Yang." Weiss slid her scroll open, waiting for the information to be transferred. When the screen began to display just how much data was incoming, she let out a low whistle, "This must have taken quite a while… Whenever did you find the time to work on this?"

She shrugged, "Oh, you know. A little here, a little there. Whenever I would listen to my music, and a song would come on that I thought you would like, or at least would be a good introduction to the genre, I'd write it down. I was just putting the finishing touches on it when I got the notification to go get my guitar."

"So… You were working on this while we were gone?" Weiss asked pointedly.

"Yeah."

"Meaning…" Weiss started tapping her foot again, "Instead of studying, like you were supposed to, you were working on this?"

"Oh…" Yang blinked, realizing her point. "Y-Yeah…"

Weiss frowned. "Yang, I don't mean to sound as if I don't appreciate the effort you put into this. It means the world to me that you worked so hard on something that would further my musical expertise, when I don't really have anything worthwhile to repay you with. Having said that, if you are really that set on acing these exams, you need to be fully focused on your studies."

"I know that! I…" Yang sighed, "Can I be honest with you guys?"

Farran furrowed his brow. "Of course, Yang. What's wrong?"

"I just… God damnit!" She buried her face in her hands, "I freaking hate this! I haven't been able to focus at all when I've tried to study over the past couple of days. Every time I go to sit down and read through our books, I just keep on freaking out about the tests! I start to stress, and nothing really sticks…" Her hair started glowing slightly, "Then, I try to go do something else to take my mind off things, but all that does is make me stress out about it even more because I'm not studying! I've tried everything! Even the trick Summer showed me when I was a kid hasn't helped… I just… I want to do this so bad. I know it's not the end of the world if I don't, so long as I pass at least, but if I can ace these tests, if I can prove that I can really do this, it'll be proof that I'm finally turning a corner in my life, and finally moving away from my mom's bullshit."

"Yang…." Farran put a hand on her shoulder, "You should have told us earlier. Didn't we agree to be honest with each other? We could have at least been there for you."

"I know…" She grumbled, plopping down on her bed. "I'm just still getting used to this whole 'being open' thing. I'm so used to having to push through shit on my own."

"Well, I suppose it can't be helped…" Weiss folded her arms, "There is no point worrying whether your time spent studying was effective or not, it's all sunk cost now. What remains is for us to make the most of what little time we have left. Having said that, I believe Farran and I may have already come up with a suitable solution to this dilemma."

"W-What do you mean?"

As if on cue, the door swung open, allowing Blake to step inside with Ruby right on her heels. "I managed to get the lounge down the hall reserved, Farran. Thankfully, it doesn't look like anyone was planning on using it, so we have it for the whole night."

"And I got those books you asked for from the library… You could have told me they were so heavy…" Ruby whined.

"Says the girl that can twirl around a scythe that probably weighs more than she does." Weiss huffed.

"Here, Ruby… Maybe this will make you feel better." Farran dug through one of the bags he had been carrying, pulling out a pack of strawberries. The mere sight of them made Ruby's face light up, and with a powerful gust of wind, she dashed forward and snatched them from his hand before anyone could blink.

"Wha-What are you guys even talking about?" The display caused Yang to finally notice the bags, all almost spilling over with a wide array of snack foods and drinks that accommodate the team's decidedly varied tastes. "What's all that for?"

"Well, it's the last day before exams, so we decided we should all have a last minute cramming session and review party." Weiss smirked.

"It was Farran's idea." Blake added, "We're all going to just spend tonight studying like everyone else, so why not at least make it somewhat enjoyable?"

Ruby beamed, "We were going to tell you about it too, but the thought of surprising you with it was just way better!"

Yang turned to Farran, "You planned all this?"

He shrugged sheepishly, "Well, yeah. I mean, we'll get more accomplished if it's all five of us working together. And, you know, it's easier to remember stuff you learn when you're feeling a strong emotion, and…"

Yang softly rapped him on top of his head with her knuckle. "You idiot. You should have said something! I could have at least helped out doing something."

"Yeah, and if you told us how stressed you were, I probably would have!"

"Quit arguing you two." Ruby snuck over to the grocery bags, and proceeded to start digging through them for more snacks. "That's not what tonight is about!"

Weiss caught ahold of her wrist, "And in case you forgot, this food is supposed to be for us to eat while we are studying. If you scarf it all down now, I don't want to hear you complain when you don't have any later."

Blake just shook her head as she watched Ruby stick her tongue out at Weiss. She nonchalantly slid her arm through the loops of a few of the bags. "Then in that case, let's start moving all this to the lounge. We only have a few hours left to work with, since you said you want us all to have an early bedtime tonight, Weiss."

Everyone nodded, and together, they got to work moving their provisions down the hall to the lounge Blake had reserved for them. If anyone were to ever press Farran as to where he came up with the idea for this party, he would have had to admit that he had somewhat stolen it after his conversation with Ren the day before. He had to agree with Ren's statement that a heavy feeling of anxiety was everywhere around campus throughout the past week, and even if he hadn't known the just how stressed out Yang had been, he wanted to do something special for the team to make them feel better. He had originally planned on it being a surprise for the whole team, not just Yang, but Weiss had caught him the first time he had tried to go out and prepare things, and while they were discussing the idea, Blake and Ruby had come into the room and overheard the conversation. Still, while things didn't go quite according to his plan, he could hardly complain once he saw the look of joy and relief on his teammates' faces as they spent the night working together. After about two hours of studying, Yang managed to catch his eye, mouthing a silent "Thank you." to him. He gave her a knowing nod, turning back to his notes as he felt a surge in his heart, telling him the bond between the two had grown stronger.


End file.
